Children photographed playing at Leicester 'hazard' site

The children left after Adrian Ablett warned them about the dangers of the site

A council has agreed to put up warning signs after children were photographed playing at a derelict site notorious for discarded needles.

Adrian Ablett, from Leicester, photographed five children playing on a mound of bricks and rubbish at the former Donisthorpe and Co factory.

He said the Bath Road site was a hazard and he had repeatedly asked Leicester City Council to take action.

The council says it was in the process of contacting the site's owners.

Mr Ablett, 39, of Fosse Road, said: "The site itself is a complete and utter hazard and it is easy to walk on and off.

Mr Ablett became aware of the site's condition through his voluntary work collecting cans

"It is full of needles, but they are not immediately obvious which makes them more dangerous.

"Unless you know where you are looking one could easily go through your shoe."

The former textile factory is one of the oldest in Leicester, and the council is working with the site agents so it can be marketed and redeveloped.

Mr Ablett became aware of its current condition through his voluntary work collecting cans around the city.

Repeated break-ins

He saw the children playing there on the afternoon of 6 April.

He estimated they were aged about 14, and they left the site after he warned them of the dangers.

Mr Ablett has seen groups of older people, aged between 18 and 30, on the site on two previous occasions.

The council said its staff had been to the factory on several occasions to secure the buildings and clean up needles, but people continued to break in.

A spokesperson said: "The site is privately owned, and we are in the process of contacting the owners whose responsibility it is to clean up the site.

"In the meantime our visits to the site will continue so we can carry out work to clean and secure it."