As Australia’s sabotaged strawberry crisis deepens, it has now been revealed that police are investigating how a needle ended up in an apple bought in Sydney’s northwest.

A mother from Kellyville was peeling the piece of fruit before her daughter headed off for school when she came across something immovable lodged inside.

After realising it wasn’t a thick stem but a needle the horrified mother immediately called police.

“I just thought, wow, this can’t possibly be happening, not in apples,” the mother told 7 News.

View photos Police say they are investigating after a needle was found in an apple. Image: 7 News More

“I’ve seen the news about strawberries and I’ve been vigilant in cutting those up for the girls, but to see this in an apple… I actually thought these were safe.

“My kids just grab them and bite into apples normally.”

The piece of fruit in question was a pink lady apple that was bought in a 1kg pack, purchased from a Woolworths at The Ponds, in Sydney’s northwest.

View photos The Sydney mother said she felt terrified given her daughters normally just bite into apples. Image: 7 News More

This latest find follows more than 20 instances where needles have been found inside punnets of strawberries in NSW alone.

Four of the latest cases have been reported in Perth, joining Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia where shoppers have purchased sabotaged punnets.

Some growers in Queensland are now installing metal detectors in a desperate bid to reassure consumers that their produce is safe.

Yahoo7 News has contacted Woolworths for comment.

Needle found in fruit at school

Police have confirmed a needle was found on Tuesday inside a strawberry at a school in northern NSW.

While further details were scarce, Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty once again urged people to be vigilant and cut up fruit before eating it.

Along with the apple found on Tuesday, police also confirmed they were investigating reports of a needle found in a banana in Sydney’s Bankstown area on Monday.

“We’ve been very fortuitous that we haven’t had anyone receive any significant injuries at this stage and that’s why we really do need the help from the public to try to solve this matter,” Det Supt Doherty told reporters at a press conference.