Drug abuse is still a concern to villagers - more than a year after public toilets were shut at night to stop them being overrun by junkies.

South Oxfordshire District councillors warned in the newsletter that drug taking was still a problem in Wheatley. The council closed the public toilets in the High Street after they were identified as a trouble spot last year.

The toilets had become a place for drug-users to meet, particularly youngsters.

Villagers reported a van arriving in the centre to sell drugs, including heroin, to teenagers.

A village shop stopped selling tin foil on Friday nights, in a bid to stop youngsters buying it to use in drug-taking. One Wheatley resident was sickened to find a group of boys taking drugs in the ladies' public toilets. The police advised the toilets should be shut at night - but the problem has not gone away.

Liberal Democrat district councillor John Beech said: "The problem has reduced as a result of that closure, but people are still finding needles around the village.

"Quite recently there was a parish council meeting and people were saying needles had been found on the wasteground.

"People are still con- cerned."

Cllr Beech said that the district council had become concerned about drugs at a new development at Littleworth.

Councillors stepped in and asked for an open space on the housing development to be moved to a more central area to discourage drug use.

But Insp David Purnell, of Thames Valley Police, said the problem in Wheatley was no worse than elsewhere.

He said: "It is comparable to any of the surrounding areas.

"Drugs and drug abuse are problems, but by working with other agencies and promoting education and awareness as well as enforcement, we will continue to fight against drugs."

Story date: Saturday 08 May

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