YOUTHS in Addingham are meeting on a disused railway bridge close to the village's primary school to inject drugs, police revealed this week.

The bridge, which lies between Addingham Primary School and the former First School, has become an evening meeting place for teenagers and is littered with empty tobacco packets, cider bottles and lager cans.

But police say they have had complaints about hypodermic needles also being left there - just yards from school playing fields. And a nearby resident claims the teenagers are gathering there to have sex and start fires.

Inspector Paul Clynch, of Ilkley Police, said: "There have been needles found there in the last month or so. I briefed all my staff to pay attention to the area to try to find out who is responsible for depositing the needles. My officers are paying attention to the area when they are able."

The resident - who did not wish to be named - said drugs were not the only problem on the bridge.

"I've chased kids off there," he said. "They have set fire to the banking. I have seen young kids of middle school age in various states of undress. You can hear them having smoking sessions and fire-lighting sessions. I've not reported it to police but every time I hear the kids I give them a shout."

Marilyn Doherty, of School Lane, said she walked under the bridge every day to take her five-year-old daughter, Jessica, to school.

"Things could quite easily be thrown over the edge down to the young kids," she said. "It's a worry. You can't watch children 24 hours a day."

She said last year, during the village spring clean, needles and used condoms had been found close to the scout hut. "The kids have come up to us saying 'what's this?' and we've had to shout 'don't touch it!'."

Mrs Doherty blamed the current problem on inadequate policing in the village.

"How often do you see a copper in Addingham?" she asked. "The presence of a policeman does deter people."

District councillor David Harrison also called for police to step up their presence in the area at night.

"It wants surveillance, snap inspections. It's a criminal offence," he said. "Go up there at night and creep up on them. They want nabbing."

He agreed that the needles could pose a huge safety risk for school children in the playing field next to the bridge.

"It is absolutely horrifying," he said. "If there's evidence of needles over there it doesn't matter what its close to, it's of great concern. But because it's near a school it is of even greater concern. All the more reason for clamping down on them."

Resident Jonathan Holmes, of Chapel Street, said he regularly saw youths on the bridge but was surprised that they were taking drugs. "There are quite a few round at night," he said. "But they have never caused trouble and half of them just seem to be messing about."

Insp Clynch warned people to steer clear of the needles. "It does have obvious health implications. If they are used needles there is a danger of infection. I would advise if anyone does see needles not to touch them and to report it to police."

He said it was difficult to say whether there was a heroin problem in the village. "It's hard to quantify how many people in a specific locality are using drugs. But we do take drug-related matters very seriously."

Coun Gordon Campbell said the parish council was aware that needles and used condoms had been found on the bridge.

"Like all concerned residents and parents we are worried that this anti-social behaviour has reached Addingham," he said. "But it is a police matter and we must leave it to them to deal with it as they see fit."

Jane Drake, head teacher at Addingham Primary School, refused to comment.