MYSTERY surrounds the appearance of reams of opticians' notes, found bundled in black bin liners at a South Shore building site by a man walking his dog.

Stephen Moore, of Henson Avenue, South Shore, alerted The Citizen after spotting the paperwork which features personal details. He is calling for an investigation.

"I think it's terrible. I wouldn't like to see my personal records left there. I was disgusted really and I'm quite shocked," he said.

When Citizen reporters visited the site between Bennett's Lane and Holgate, near Common Edge Road, they found what appeared to be in-depth medical notes and letters from local GPs and hospital consultants strewn around at the bottom of a bonfire pile.

Many more records could be seen bundled in torn black bin liners, which local homeowners said had been there for a number of weeks.

Details of eye treatments and payments for treatments, letters from health practitioners, clients' names, addresses and other personal details were clearly visible. One consultant's letter included a comment on a client's personality, referring to him as "a nice man".

The Citizen notified the police, and were later told that the matter had been brought to the attention of the local health authority.

Mr Moore told The Citizen the bags were still at the site on Tuesday, but according to the North West Lancashire Health Authority the notes were destroyed Tuesday afternoon. Carol Goodier, primary care development manager at the health authority, said: "We're not clear exactly whose records these were. We think they may be optometrists' records. The notes actually related to patients' care that took place in the 1980s."

She said optometrists, being independent contractors, deal with both public and private sector work and it is up to them to dispose of their notes.

She confirmed the records were burned on the site where they were found. "It seemed easier and safer that way," she said.

And she said the public should not worry about the find. "Both GPs and hospitals have got robust mechanisms in place for looking after their records," she added.

GP and hospital notes and medical records are covered by the Data Protection Act 1998, which has strict rules governing the processing, disposal or destruction of personal information.

The Department of Health website states: "Ensuring the security and accuracy of patient information is the responsibility of management and staff at all levels. In particular, arrangements for the storage and disposal of all patient information must protect confidentiality."

But a spokesman for the Data Protection Information Line confirmed the Act does not cover opticians' notes. She said: "Opticians are not considered health professionals under the act so their notes would not be considered as medical records."