Children as young as 12 are stealing the lids off Pot Noodles to use when taking drugs, it has been claimed.

Jim Montgomery said young people high on drugs were running wild and causing mayhem in Antrim.

According to the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Ulster Unionist councillor, gangs of youths are using the thick foil lids from the packets when taking drugs such as cannabis.

"When I was first told what was going on I thought it was a joke," he said.

"It certainly sounds like a joke and I had a laugh when I was first told until I realised what they are using them for.

"I originally thought it was for them to take heroin, but I have been told by the police that it is for cannabis.

"We are talking about children from the age of 12 involved in this kind of behaviour, it is very sad indeed.

"Moving away from the fact they are stealing these lids, there are a lot of kids running around causing problems in the town and it comes down to the fact that they are taking drugs and getting involved in anti-social behaviour.

"I'm not saying these problems are unique to Antrim, but there has certainly been an escalation in recent times."

Mr Montgomery warned that the situation was likely to decline further given ongoing budget cuts.

Antrim has been highlighted as a drugs hotspot in previous years, with claims that dealers were targeting children outside youth clubs.

Belfast Telegraph