Three children were rushed to hospital after they found a used needle in a school playground.

And just two days later another child found a needle outside the same school.

Richard Telford, 33, of Salterbeck, Workington, has spoken out after his five-year-old daughter Evie found the syringe in the grounds of St Mary’s Primary School and his daughter Lily, eight, found another near the school’s entrance.

Evie was playing outside at lunchtime on Monday with two friends when they came across the needle. One of the children picked it up and disposed of it in a bin but did not alert school staff.

It was only when Evie went home that evening that she told her dad.

Richard said: “I was sick to my stomach. I was scared. We had to take the children to West Cumberland Hospital and luckily they were all okay.

“Evie knew what it was and she understands, but she didn’t know anything about getting rid of it.”

On Wednesday, Richard was checking for needles while picking up his children when Lily spotted the second syringe outside the school grounds near the entrance.

Richard added: “The situation has got worse in the last few years. I want everyone in Workington and Cumbria to be aware of this issue and keep an eye out.

“What happened absolutely freaked me out. I’m going out myself checking for needles and I want other parents to do so too.”

Evie and Lily’s mum Laura Patten, 33, said: “I don’t blame the school, they have gone out of their way, but the school is slap bang in the middle of a council estate and there are drug addicts around here. Checks should be made every day. It needs sorting out.”

Rachel Gregg’s daughter Cara Edgar, six, was with Evie when the first needle was found.

The mother-of-three, 37, of Salterbeck, said: “I’m shocked and sickened. I was worried for Cara, who at the time wasn’t aware of the severity of the situation. When it sunk in, I was angry.

“If people feel the need to use needles they should at least be safe. It’s a disgrace. Why should innocent children be placed at risk?

“The girls were checked over and given the all clear, but this doesn’t excuse anything at all. Our children should be allowed to be children, not given a list of what to avoid when playing.”

School staff have now started checking the grounds for needles each day and police officers have also increased patrols.

Richard is working with Salterbeck Residents’ Association, councillors and police to organise a meeting to inform parents about the issue.

Headteacher Catherine Pearson said: “Unfortunately we have no control over what people throw in our school premises. I personally went into each class and spoke to the children and told them to be extra vigilant, not pick up anything that is suspicious and they all understood that clearly.

“The school is working closely with Cumbria police to safeguard and patrol the school premises.”

She added that Allerdale council’s environmental health department had told the school it would do checks of the area.

A police spokesman said: “It is completely unacceptable for anyone to leave an item such as a needle in a public place, let alone at a school where children could potentially get hurt.

“Cumbria Constabulary is working with the school with the aim of identifying the person responsible and also raising awareness among staff and pupils at this and other schools in the area of what to do if they ever come across such an item.”

Police are urging anyone with information to email 101@cumbria.police.uk or call 101, referring to incident 125 of October 4, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.