NORTH HAMPTON, NH (WCMH) — A day of fun in the sun at the beach, turned into a trip to a doctor’s office after the young girl got a needle stuck in her heel.

“We removed it, cleaned her puncture wound as best we could, and we advised her to see professional help on this,” lifeguard Jim Donahue told WMUR.

Lifeguards say they are seeing more and more hypodermic needles being left in the sand at beaches.

“Unfortunately, these are the times we’re living in. With the statewide epidemic that’s going on, we all need to be aware and a little more cautious,” said North Hampton Deputy Fire Chief Jim Lajoie.

First responders advise anyone who’s been stuck by a needle to see a doctor.

“It’s probably going to be a series of testing that a doctor is going to want to provide, something that’s beyond the capabilities of EMTs and paramedics,” Lajoie told WMUR.

Lifeguards at the North Hampton beach have found as many as four needles in the sand along the beach.