VOLUNTEER custodians of a Harden beauty spot warn that a public loo block could have to close due to continued misuse.

People have left faeces on the floor and even smeared it on the walls.

And some dog owners have been using the building, at the St Ives estate, to wash their pets.

The toilets are normally for use by the disabled but are currently the only ones open at the site – the others are shut due to social distancing regulations.

Pam Laking, chairman of the Friends of St Ives, says: “We have a fabulous guy who cleans the toilets for us but the sight that often greets him when he calls at teatime to lock-up is absolutely disgusting.

“The toilets are a much-valued facility and the vast majority of visitors treat them with respect.

“All we ask is that everyone please treats the facility as they would their toilets at home and not abuse the provision.

“It isn’t possible for us to have someone monitoring the toilet block all day – and we shouldn’t have to.

“We certainly don’t want to close the block.

“The toilets are next door to the children’s play area and it’s possible youngsters are using the loos on their own. If that’s the case we would ask parents please to accompany your children or at least check afterwards to ensure the block hasn’t been left in a mess. And we appeal to dog owners not to use the toilet block to wash their dogs.”