A GIANT mural celebrates the glory of last year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

But just yards away from the proud image, the grim evidence of a drugs problem that continues to blight the city.

Used syringes, dirty spoons and a belt lie scattered in a doorway, strewn with rubbish.

A public area in the middle of the bustling Merchant City, where some of the city’s top restaurants and bars are to be found.

The Evening Times obtained the images, taken in broad daylight, from a concerned reader.

Police said patrols would be increased in the area and a clean-up has been ordered by the council’s environmental team. However both police and local councillors stressed the need for support for people battling drug issues to avoid the problem, “simply being policed and displaced to another location.”

Earlier this year we highlighted, another public area, close by which residents say has become a magnet for drug users.

We visited a grassed area across from Morrisons supermarket, behind the Gallowgate, and saw two men who appeared to be using drugs.

One man was slumped over on the ground holding a needle.

People living in the Calton reported finding hundreds of used syringes in green spaces.

The Evening Times also revealed how 43 syringes were found in a public toilet block in just 11 days.

Cleaners - and members of the public - using the Stevenson West toilets, in the Barras, told how they were discovering used needles in the facilities regularly.

Around 3.8% of adults, age 15-54, in Glasgow are estimated to have a problem drug use, which is nearly twice that seen in Scotland as a whole, although some recent, encouraging figures showed a slight decline across the city.

Anderston City SNP Councillor Eva Bolander said: “These images are shocking and show how far we still need to go to support those who are affected by drug use and to ensure that residents are not subjected to scenes such as these on a daily basis.

“I have been in contact with local community councils who are also concerned about this issue.

“I have written to Land and Environmental Services to request an urgent meeting and to call for clean-ups to be carried out as soon as possible.

“I have also asked that the Council’s Addiction services – a partnership between the Council and Health Board, meet with me to discuss their plans to support those affected by addiction in my ward and beyond.

“It’s high time we resolved these problems – both for residents affected and the people who are using these spaces to take drugs”.

Earlier this year, more than 2000 packs of foil were handed out to heroin users in a bid to stop them injecting the drug.

The foil was given out by healthcare workers to cut down the risks connected to injecting, following a botulism outbreak in the city.

Addiction specialists say that smoking the drug rather than injecing reduces the risk of drug-related death by about 14 times.

Chief Inspector Mark Sutherland, Area Commander of Glasgow City Centre, said: “We have not received any complaints about this particular location and I am therefore grateful that the pictures have been shared allowing us to take action.

“This is clearly not the sort of image or impression anyone wants to see in Glasgow City Centre and we will ensure the area is visited regularly by officers and that we are working with our partners at the City Council and Community Safety Glasgow to ensure the area is free from debris and anti-social behaviour.

“There has undeniably been a history of drug misuse in Glasgow City Centre and we will continue to work in partnership with the NHS and various outreach agencies.

“It is important to ensure that those with drug issues are being supported and that the issue is not simply policed and displaced to another location.

“Anyone with concerns of this nature can contact police via the non-emergency number 101.”

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: “Our rapid response team will clear this debris as a priority. Anyone who finds syringes or needles in a public place should report them to us immediately by phoning 0141 287 9700 and it will be dealt with urgently.

“Anyone affected by addiction issue in Glasgow can seek help from the city’s addiction services.”