A box containing hypodermic syringes and needles was found by a 12-year-old boy by the side of a path on a Witney housing estate.

It was also less than 100 yards from a primary school and nursery.

The boy's father said it was the second time needles had been found in the Deer Park estate area.

Paul Elliott said: "My son was playing with his friends and rang me straight away on his mobile to tell me what they had found.

"I immediately went to them and took the container to the police station. Luckily, they didn't touch any of the syringes, but they did handle the container.

"People need to know about this sort of thing. Having them so near a school and a housing estate with lots of kids is very dangerous."

Mr Elliott, of Ralegh Crescent, said his son - a town secondary school pupil - found the grey plastic container at about 2pm on a Sunday.

He added: "It was lying right by the path. Inside were about six or seven needles connected to syringes. I have no idea whether they were for use with hard drugs, but I suspect they were. My main concern is, as a parent, that these things are left lying around where children can get hold of them."

Mr Elliott rang the parents of both of the other boys and said they were as concerned as he was.

His wife Dawn, who works at the nearby Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School and attached nursery in Curbridge Road, informed teachers the following day.

Mr Elliot added: "This is the second time that I know of that needles have been found in the area. What is Witney turning into?"

Although the container was taken to Witney police station, it was handed on for disposal to West Oxfordshire District Council, which runs a "sharps" collection service.

It is run under the umbrella of the West Oxfordshire Community Safety Partnership and, according to the council's Phil Page, head of street scene, operates day and night with a call to either 01993 861020 or 01993 705056.

"It is a 24-hour call out service to collect any discarded needles and syringes and for safety reasons we always respond immediately," he added.

The Partnership, linking police, councils and other agencies, co-ordinates a drugs education programme for secondary and primary school pupils in the district through schools liaison officer Pc Simon Collins.