Environmental bosses at Tendring District Council have put out an urgent appeal to the public in a bid to put a halt to a regular act of vandalism at a town centre public convenience.

Over the past couple of years they have had to deal with arsons, criminal damage, graffiti, theft and host of other issues at sites across the District - costing Council Tax payers tens of thousands of pounds.

Now they have been hit by a particularly unpleasant act of vandalism and need help to solve the problem.

Mainly on Thursdays and Saturdays - although it has also happened on other days - someone is going into the Ladies toilets in Rosemary Road, Clacton, and smearing excrement all over the walls.

The practice has gone on for a number of weeks and every effort possible has been made to track down the person responsible.

Each time the facilities have to be closed down and cleaned and disinfected before they can be reopened to the public.

Chris Kitcher, Acting Head of Environmental Services at Tendring District Council, said that somebody must have an idea who might be responsible and he is urging them to come forward.

"This is not a situation where we will be taking a heavy-handed approach," he said.

"As far as I am concerned whoever is doing this needs help and that is the way we want to tackle this particular situation. But until we can find who is responsible we cannot get them the help they require."

Whoever is carrying out the act is waiting until after the cleaners have made their regular rounds before entering the building.

"It causes great inconvenience for others who are denied use of the facilities while they have to be cleaned," he said.

"Also it is a particularly unpleasant job for those who have to go in and remove the excrement from the walls."

The site in Rosemary Road is one of the Council's busiest public conveniences.

Anyone with information - which will treated in confidence - should contact Mr Kitcher on 01255 686741 or Andy Nepean on 01255 686772.