'Out of the frying pan, into the fire' springs to mind.

The Bristol Drugs Project needle exchange van has been moved from near a busy place used by families to ... a busy place used by families.

In fact, the new location – in Morrisons supermarket in Hartcliffe – is not only used by families but by elderly people and many others who simply want to do their shopping.

The last thing they want is to be sharing the car park with drug addicts, especially those with needles.

This is not about the principle of a needle exchange. Such services have been shown over the years to play an important role in helping addicts to stay as safe as they can and, in time, to help them beat their cravings.

Such a facility also means there should be many fewer discarded used needles being abandoned in places where children might play.

Furthermore, Morrisons should be applauded for wanting to become involved in a service to help the community.

But it is in the wrong place.

Across this part of south Bristol, there must be countless locations where the van could be sited, away from families and elderly people.

Those who run such services cannot ignore the feelings of the wider community. The reaction to this move is likely to be the same as the anger expressed when the the BDP relocated to a car park outside Hartcliffe Early Excellence Children's Centre in Hareclive Road.

We applaud any moves which are shown to tackle drugs problems but there must be a responsibility on the part of all involved to ensure that people going about their daily business are not affected.