A Yarmouth woman found a nasty surprise Thursday while walking in the marshes near Bunker Island, N.S.

Amber Cormier says she was walking with a friend near the beach when she stumbled upon a shallow hole filled with hypodermic needles.

"I've never seen anything like it in my life and I've lived in Yarmouth for 27 years," Cormier said.

Cormier posted the photo Facebook and says she has since been contacted by Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood and people from Nova Scotia Environment, who told her everything would be taken care of.

Wildlife, people use that area

"There's so much wildlife that passes through that marsh there, that something needed to be done real quick," she said.

Several people who also used the area with their pets and children even contacted Cormier to ask for more specific details on where the dumpsite was, so they could go and clean it themselves — which she immediately advised against.

"I just feel like it had to be dealt with in the proper way," Cormier said.

"You don't want to be touched by them … because you don't know what has gone through them," she said.

Nova Scotia Environment response

Bruce Nunn with Nova Scotia Environment said in an email the department received the complaint on Friday and will be conducting an inspection.

He said the items in question are on private property.

Cormier says he has no idea where the needles may have come from but plans to be more careful when walking in the area in the future.

"People need to keep their eyes open and just watch where they're walking and be really careful about where you are and what you're doing out there," she said.

"Because seeing a sight like that, who's to say there's not something else somewhere else."