The incident occurred last week while the child was playing in the sandpit where the syringe was buried.

A member of the centre’s parent committee said she believed people using the park behind the centre had climbed over a short fence into the playground and left the needle behind.

“It’s awful to read about these things in papers from the city, but our community faces the same problems,” she said.

However, she said she couldn’t imagine a nicer childcare centre and was shocked the incident had happened.

“The family and staff involved in the incident are being offered support and they are understandably devastated,” she said.

She said there was a high level of security at the child care centre with security camera and lights fitted around it.

She said sandpits were maintained daily.

New safeguards are being implemented, including covers for the pits.

“Short of putting in a cyclone fence and floodlights, I’m not sure what could be done to ward off drug users,” she said.

She urged members of the public to report any suspicious or inappropriate behaviour around playgrounds, parks and schools to the police.

And to drug users: “if you are addicted to drugs, dispose of your needles safely and don’t put others at risk,” she said.

Acting Sergeant of the Cootamundra Local Area Command, Roy Elmes, said police became aware of the incident as a result of an unrelated matter, but no actual report had been made.

“We have, however, received the information as intelligence and local police have been made aware of the location for increased patrols,” he said.

According to the Department of Health and Ageing’s website, there has been no recorded incidents of anyone contracting HIV or hepatitis C from a discarded needle in Australia.

They have urged the community to report any suspicious behavoir.