People in Australia have started finding needles hidden in strawberries, in what has become a widespread phenomenon.

A banana and an apple have now also been found with needles in them, police said on Tuesday, spreading panic even further.

Two men went to hospital with abdominal pain after swallowing needles hidden in strawberries

Police in Australia say they have found sewing needles hidden inside an apple and a banana, widening a crisis which began with strawberries being found with hidden needles inside.

Officers say they have found more than 25 instances of fruit with needles concealed inside, across all six states of Australia.

According to news.com.au, hidden needles were found in a banana and an apple which were bought in different district of Sydney.

So far two people who accidentally ate the needles have reported to hospital, though none appear to have been badly injured.

This photo, published by Sky News Australia, shows a needle that was found in a box of strawberries:

A needle found in a punnet of strawberries. Sky News Australia/Youtube

The victims

People started noticing needles in their strawberries earlier this month after a man in Queensland, northeastern Australia, published a viral post claiming that his friend accidentally swallowed half a sewing needle while eating strawberries, and had to be sent to hospital.

Joshua Gane said on Facebook: "He bites through a strawberry and swallows half a sewing needle. We then checked the other strawberries and found another sewing needle lodged inside one of them.