A dad was left horrified after his young daughter found and picked up a razor-sharp blade feared to have been buried “maliciously” in a children’s sandpit.

Brian Keogh says the youngster was digging a hole in the play area at Granville Sands on Dover seafront when she discovered the metal object.

He reported the incident to Dover Town Council, which said it was “shocked” to learn children had been exposed to risk of injury and alerted police.

Mr Keogh says a baby had been crawling around the sandpit at the time his 11-year-old daughter found the blade on Saturday afternoon.

The 58-year-old had been supervising the girl and her eight-year-old sister as they played among hordes of children enjoying the attraction in the sunshine.

“I was shocked to see that in a children’s area - especially where it is concealed in the sand,” Mr Keogh added.

“It was quite horrifying really and it was lucky she found it without cutting herself.

“A baby was crawling around a few metres away.

“It is horrific someone could place it there or accidentally drop it.”

Mr Keogh originally reported the incident to police via 101 but was told it was not a criminal matter and to contact the council.

Dover’s town clerk told KentOnline the sandpit is inspected and cleaned every morning before opening to the public.

“The council and its staff were shocked to hear Mr Keogh’s daughter had been exposed to the risk of injury by the irresponsible and possibly malicious actions of an unknown person,” she said.

“The incident has been reported to both the police and the Port of Dover police in the hope CCTV footage might identify the person or persons concerned.

“Following Facebook reports of the incident, our cleaning contractor was asked to carry out an intensive search of the sandpit on the Sunday morning and nothing further was found.

“We would urge anyone who may have witnessed anything they think might be related to the burying of the blade in the sandpit by a person unknown to report what they saw or might have heard to police.

“It is a great pity Mr Keogh and his daughter have been subjected to this experience in a well-loved and well-used play area for Dover children.”