Posties' fears as drugs needles and dog mess posted through Dunfermline postboxes

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POST boxes across West Fife riddled with needles and dog mess are posing health and safety risks “too severe to think about” for posties.

That’s the shocking claim from Dunfermline Central councillor Garry Haldane who has hit out at “dangerous” instances of Royal Mail workers being faced with hazards of varying severity across the area in recent weeks.

Cllr Haldane, who is also the Communication Workers Union (CWU) representative for Royal Mail’s delivery office in Woodmill Street, claimed that two needles – one within a post box, and another on a ledge above – had been discovered by postmen collecting mail at the now closed Post Office in Queen Anne Street.

Cllr Haldane told the Press: “There have been a few incidents recently where we have had issues over members of the public putting things in post boxes they shouldn’t, from hypodermic needles to dog mess and grass.

"It’s really dangerous for the post person emptying the box. The consequences are too severe to think about.

"We had an instance of a needle being found at the bottom of a box at Queen Anne Street and, last week, I had a call to say a needle was on a ledge above. I reported them to the police but have heard nothing back.

“If they are infected then it’s an even bigger health hazard. If someone got jagged then you wouldn’t know for months whether you were infected.

“It’s a public health issue and I would ask the public to be considerate and dispose of these items safely and securely.

"Do not put other members of society in danger by your inability to be safety-conscious, and specifically members of Royal Mail who are doing their jobs.”

Cllr Haldane continued: “Letters have to be opened and the recipients contacted because we can’t send letters out like that.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Police in Fife received a report of needles being found on a postbox in Queen Anne Street, Dunfermline, on 28th June.

"Fife Council’s environmental health service were contacted so these could be safely disposed of. Anyone with information about this can contact Dunfermline Police Station via 101, quoting incident number 2986 of 28 June.”