A mum is furious her daughter was offered a free Happy Meal as compensation – after she picked up a used hypodermic needle in a McDonald’s.
Little Jordyn Carruthers, seven, picked up the needle from the floor of the fast food restaurant toilet to the horror of her mum Kayley Paul, 29.
The full-time mum immediately told her daughter to drop it and scrubbed the schoolgirl’s hands, but claims she has suffered nightmares and been unwell since.
She complained to bosses South Shields restaurant but was appalled when they offered an apology and a free Happy Meal for Jordyn.
Kayley said she is currently consulting a solicitor and has emailed and spoken to company bosses to raise her concerns.
The worried mum said: “A woman said to us before we went in that something was on the floor but I didn’t really catch what she said.
“We went in and she picked it up. I screamed at her to put it down and cleaned her hands. She didn’t know what it was.
“I’ve had to explain to her about needles and the people who use them.
“She’s innocent. Now she knows all about this stuff she shouldn’t have to know about.
“She was lucky they had put the lid back on before they then just threw it on the floor.
“They offered a free Happy Meal for her. She could have caught anything.”
The mum and daughter from South Shields called in to McDonald’s on Sunday afternoon and made the discovery in the disabled toilet on the ground floor.
She added: ”If I’d been able to see the door, I would have let my daughter go on her own.
“If she had, she would have been at risk. It’s absolutely disgusting.”
Bosses at the fast food firm said staff are stepping up checks at the restaurant.
A McDonald’s spokesman said: “We apologise to Ms Paul for her experience. “Hygiene and safety is of paramount importance and as soon as we were alerted to this, our restaurant team immediately and safely disposed of the item.
“Our toilets are checked every 15 minutes and staff have been reminded to be extra vigilant with their inspections.”
