THIS is the shocking moment when in broad daylight, and within 100 yards of the new £48 million Bolton Interchange, a drug addict injects himself.

For fed up residents of Trinity Church, a former derelict premises, converted into luxury apartments and opposite the interchange, it is the latest episode in a problem, which has left them in fear because of the amount of drug associated paraphernalia being dumped on the green space which surrounds the building and on surrounding streets.

Meanwhile, the agents which manages the apartments, is calling for an emergency meeting with police and councillors to try to tackle the issue once and for all.

A resident of one of the apartments told The Bolton News that the problems were growing as drugs users went through bins before bedding down for the night. He said the area behind the church also made it an ideal location for drugs to be traded by dealers from outside of town and apartment dwellers felt vulnerable.

He said: “Only the other day the child of another tenant innocently picked up a used syringe which had been abandoned on the ground.

"She was so lucky it didn’t prick her, given that many drugs users are HIV positive. But anyone, adult or child, could have a needle pierce them and we have stopped using the grass to sunbathe because of the dangers of hidden syringes.”

It is believed that Crook Street, Moncrieffe Street and surrounding area has for a long time has had a drug dealing and drug addict problems

The resident explained: “Quite honestly it is getting worse. There are used heroin needles, cooking spoons, used bloody wipes, Nitrous Oxide gas canisters, Spice packets and tags from shoplifted goods. We have a big problem here regarding drug addicts that constantly trespass and sleep rough on our grounds and break into the bin stores and we are now trying to get the managing agent to fence and secure our grounds.”

He added: “The addicts visit the drug recovery/needle exchange in Manchester Road, then come up here to meet the drug dealers, as this out-of-town out-of-sight area is convenient. These streets are like a drive-through drug dealer delivery area pulling up in cars.”

Ruby Jones, of managing agent Primo Property said it had been taking care of the former church for the past four years and had implemented various security measures to keep tenants secure and unwanted intruders off the property and had implemented increased security measures both day and night to try to mitigate the problems.

She explained: “The problems with drug users seems to have increased in recent times and we have even had to train our staff to remove sharps and have a 24/7 helpline in case of emergency. We are looking at increased security which may involve preventing people getting on to the grounds around the church.

“However, at the end of the day we are a managing agent and there is only so much we can do and this problem needs the involvement of public sector both from the police and from the council.

“I have written to both of them asking for an urgent meeting to discuss how we can tackle this issue together.”