BREWERY bosses have ordered a clean-up outside one of Cardiff’s most iconic landmarks after drug addicts turned parts of it into a needle-strewn eyesore.

Hundreds of used hypodermic needles have been found discarded on fenced-off land at the entrance to Brains Brewery on Penarth Road, just feet from passing cars and pedestrians.

Council officials said some needles had even found their way onto the pavement, posing a potential health risk to passers-by.

Delme Greening, Butetown councillor, hit out at the drug users’ behaviour.

“It [the site] is not good and I don’t like to see it there at all,” he said. “That kind of behaviour shouldn’t be going on and it’s really bad for the residents around here, for the people who have to clear it and for anybody else who has to see it.

“I have been made aware of it and I have spoken to the police and asked them to be more vigilant in the area and if any residents see anything untoward going on I would ask that they report it to 101.”

One worker at the brewery, who did not wish to be named, claimed addicts had been gathering in the unattended shrubbery at the front of the site for up to 18 months.

A spokeswoman for Brains said: “As soon as we identified the problem we fenced the area off and engaged a local specialist contractor to help clear the area, which will happen in the next week.

“We are extremely anxious to clear this area up for both the benefit of employees of Brains and the general public.”

A spokesman for Cardiff council said it was in a “positive dialogue” with Brains about the issue, but that it would use powers to force a clean-up if the need arose. He said: “Cardiff council have removed the needles that have spilled on to the adopted highway. However, for insurance reasons they cannot cleanse private land.

“The council’s litter enforcement team are in positive dialogue with Brains about them cleaning up their land and to fence off the area.

“These talks are at the informal stage currently but if there is no improvement over the next week the council can and will use its powers to force them to clean up the area.”

A South Wales Police spokesman said: “We are aware of the problem. It is an ongoing police priority for the area and the next Operation Clean Sweep is planned to take place in this area in the next couple of weeks.”