CRISIS-HIT Ferguson's is facing a drug-taking scandal after needles and heroin kits were found inside the shipyard.

A major probe has been launched by management of the nationalised yard, with drug tests taking place among the 470-strong workforce.

Sources told the Telegraph that drug paraphernalia was discovered under the ferry still being built at the yard on 'several occasions' within a short period of time.

There was also evidence of drug use in the toilets.

The shocking disclosure comes just after the yard was at the centre of another storm, having lost out in the race to build new vessels for its owners, the Scottish Government, with the vital work heading overseas instead.

Management are already under intense pressure to finally finish heavily-delayed dual fuel ferry MV Glen Sannox and her as-yet unnamed sister ship.

A concerned worker told the Tele: "This is a serious health and safety issue and it needs to be dealt with.

"A kit was found under the boat in the yard and at first it was thought it might have washed up from the river.

"But it kept happening and it is obvious people are using.

"There was evidence of this in the toilets as well - there were needles, spoons and the kits left lying.

"As usual it was all hushed up, but everyone in the yard knew about it.

"There are concerns about how it was all disposed of - labourers were told to clean it up.

"No one wants this, as everyone is working around the clock to get the ferries sorted."

It is understood the concern over workers taking heroin centres around the weekend shift at the Newark yard.

It was introduced to accelerate progress on the two massively over-budget CalMac ferries.

Ferguson Marine bosses say immediate action has been taken over the drug-taking.

A spokeswoman said: "This is a highly serious matter involving a small number of individuals.

"Ferguson Marine has a zero tolerance drugs policy, which is fully supported by the trade unions.

"As is common practice for many industrial workplaces, anyone identified as under the influence at work is suspended immediately and faces disciplinary procedures, including dismissal.

"We operate a routine programme of random and ‘with cause’ testing, especially for those with safety-critical roles, and our ‘no lone worker’ approach ensures every task completed, or piece of machinery operated, involves more than one person.

"Our approach applies to employees and subcontractors.

“As a responsible employer of 470 hard-working staff, we take the health and safety of everyone seriously and make no apology for the robust measures in place to keep everyone safe from potential harm.”

Ferguson's has faced a catalogue of problems under its new regime, with Inverclyde MSP Stuart McMillan recently calling for £750k-a-year turnaround director Tim Hair and his management team to go.

The Scottish Government stepped in to nationalise the shipyard in 2019 after the dual fuel ferries project ran into trouble.

A Scottish Parliament inquiry into the affair branded it a 'catastrophic' failure while former shipyard owner Jim McColl has repeatedly blamed the government over the fiasco.