HUMAN excrement is being left three times a week outside closed toilets on a Hampshire beachfront.

Council bosses believe the overnight fouling could be a protest at the council's decision to close the Spit End toilets at Calshot and replace them with more hygienic £190,000 conveniences half a mile away at Hillhead car park.

New Forest District Council ignored a petition signed by 1,500 people not to shut the Spit End toilets, which the council said had sub-standard sewerage which would be too costly to replace. The facilities closed in March.

The National Park Authority recently turned down a bid to fund a refurbishment.

Council support services boss Sharon Plumridge told a beach hut owners meeting the reports of human fouling had come from the council's cleaners.

She branded it "silliness" and said: "It's really unpleasant for everybody.

Disgusting "It's a health hazard. It's not going to reverse the decision taken by the council."

Councillor Barry Rickman, portfolio holder for leisure who chairs the focus group meeting, added afterwards: "It's disgusting. If someone is trying make a point, this is not the way to do it."

Beach hut owner Les Holmes, who handed over the petition to the council, said the fouling was particularly unpleasant for families and children who visited the beach the following morning.

He said: "I don't believe it's people trying to make a point. I don't believe that's the case at all."

Mr Holmes said it was probably visitors to the beach at night who weren't able to get to the other toilets, but stressed nobody had witnessed the fouling.

He said beach hut owners were hoping to push for a reopening of the toilets as part of their consultation with the council on fees and charges later this year.

Beat officer PC Del Jones said the mystery foulers could only be prosecuted if caught in the act.