A DAD said he jabbed his finger on a discarded needle hidden in his Boscombe flat.

The 38-year-old said he dropped his wedding ring behind a broken bath panel and reached into find it.

He said he withdrew his hand out with a needle sticking out of the middle finger and is awaiting blood tests for hepatitis.

The man, who asked not to be named in case it affects his work prospects, said there were around 20 needles under the bath.

He said there was also a teaspoon and a piece of cord, which he said appeared to be linked to drug abuse.

The dad of two told the Echo: “I pulled the needle straight out and dialled 999.

“I had to squeeze it and get to hospital within the hour.”

He said he has been told there is no risk of contracting HIV because the needle was old and the virus dies off quickly.

He told the Echo he had previously found a needle behind a bathroom kick board and had asked in person at landlords Terra Firma for the flat to be cleared.

“I am scared to touch anything now,” he said. “It’s terrible.”

He has engaged solicitors to make a claim.

Iain McTaggart from Terra Firma said the company had no record the bath panel was damaged.

He said the company sent out a workman within half an hour of the accident and they found four needles.

Mr McTaggart said the firm had no computer maintenance report for a needle in the kitchen.

He said: “It’s a very unfortunate set of events but to try and pin liability or the agent or the landlord is a bit of a stretch given the items were concealed.

“We acted in a very professional manner and I feel we have done the best we would do with a bad situation.”

Landlord Clive Taylor said there was a report that drugs had been found in the first incident but that report did not mention a needle.

He said: “I don’t understand how he dropped his ring down there.

“Short of ripping out every cupboard you will never find everything. I fail to see what more Terra Forma and myself could have done in this situation.”