Heroin den full of needles and used condoms found at children's football pitch in Cardiff

This was the scene that greeted an under 13's football club in a Cardiff park this morning.

Dozens of needles, alcohol swabs and used condoms can be seen in pictures taken in Butetown's Canal Park on Saturday.

Members of the Tiger Bay Juniors team were forced to clear the "den for heroin addicts" found behind the dug outs at the football pitch before playing this morning.

But the founder of the organisation has warned of the ongoing dangers of the drug paraphernalia littering the site which is home to a number of youth and junior sides.

The park is home to AFC Butetown (Richard Swingler)

Drug paraphernalia littering Canal Park in Butetown (Richard Swingler)

Inside the homeless shelters where long-term alcoholics stay for up to 20 years  

Ahmed Hassan, founder of the Tiger Bay Youth Development, said: "We have been a club for the last eight years but I'd say for the last five or six years we've had a lot more people come down and jack up on the pitch and behind the dug outs.

"We clean it ourselves because as coaches we have to safeguard our children.

"This morning behind both of the dug outs there were loads of discarded needles and other horrible things like used condoms.

"We have people standing there like security guards to make sure no kids come around as we clear it.

"We have learnt to deal with it but should we have to learn to deal with it in this day and age?"

The club says the needles give the area a bad impression (Richard Swingler)

Coaches at clubs using the pitch have to check the area before playing (Richard Swingler)

 

Mr Hassan also believes the sight gives the park a negative impression for teams visiting the area.

He said: "The away teams must think we are disgusting people when they leave the pitch.

"They must have very negative feelings about us as it appears as it we can't even maintain a pitch to play on. It looks like we are neglecting our duty of care."

A post shared on the Tiger Bay Junior Facebook page said: "Is this what our park has become?

"It looks like a den for heroin addicts.

The mess was found behind both dug outs at the pitch (Richard Swingler)

The terrifying messages sent by drugs boss to customers in Wales  

"Young people from 11 upwards play on this park at least twice a week. As coaches it is our job to safeguard young people.

"It is really difficult when you are dealing with filthy needles. None of us have been trained in how to deal with needles, we don't even have the disposable yellow boxes for needles. Should we even be trained in how to deal with used needles?

"We check the pitch before every game and make sure that there are no sharp objects.

"As for behind the dugout we have to clean it up and put ourselves in danger."