A teenager jabbed by a dirty needle, a 14-year-old boy shot in the neck and elderly residents burgled - it’s all part and parcel of life at a crime-blighted Kent tower block.

In the latest incident, on Wednesday afternoon, 16-year-old Matthew Scott was rushed to hospital when a used needle fell from above a lift door at Midhurst Court, Maidstone and jabbed him in the arm.

The teenager is now facing three months of regular blood tests and constant worry as doctors find out whether he's contracted a blood-bourne disease such as HIV or Hepatitis in the incident.

"HIV is a scary thought," he said. "I could hardly pay attention to what the doctor was saying because I was so worried, I kept getting light headed. I'm still panicking."

In other incidents, a 14-year-old boy was shot in the neck while sitting on a bench outside the tower block.

Meanwhile, police have ceased their investigation into two burglaries and an attempted burglary in which an elderly resident had her door kicked down and another man had three gold rings, 100 CDs and two bags stolen.

They will reopen the investigation if further evidence comes to light.

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