Mindless vandals have caused hundreds of pounds of damage to public toilets in Dovercourt and Frinton, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill for repairs and cleaning.

Tendring District Council (TDC), which runs the facilities, has reported a series of incidents in recent days — including damage at sites in Cambridge Road and The Leas, Frinton, and graffiti at the toilets at the Tennis Court in Lower Marine Parade, Dovercourt, on Thursday afternoon (16 October).

The Dovercourt facility has been temporarily closed for deep cleaning and is expected to reopen shortly.

In Frinton, toilet roll holders and soap dispensers were pulled off the walls, leaving tiles cracked.

Councillor Peter Kotz, TDC’s Cabinet Member for Assets, said the in-house repair bill to replace the items and redecorate will come to almost £1,000.

“These incidents are mindless acts of vandalism and show a real lack of respect for facilities that serve the whole community,” he said.

“We do not want to be spending taxpayers’ money on repairs that could otherwise be used to maintain and improve services.

“I would like to thank our staff for their swift response and residents for their patience while we deal with these issues.

“If anyone recognises the graffiti tags or knows who might be responsible — even small details, like seeing someone with pink paint on their hands — please contact Essex Police.

“Any information, no matter how minor, could help us identify those involved.”

Witnesses to the incident are encouraged to report criminal damage directly to Essex Police at www.essex.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/.

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