BAGS of excrement are among the items piling up in a layby on the A20.

The spot, close to the Roundhill Tunnels near Folkestone, is a frequent overnight stop for lorries travelling to the Continent.

While such trucks have room for sleeping, they are without toilets, so among the filthy detritus of food wrappers and fruit, are bottles of urine and worse.

Rats have colonised the area, enjoying the plentiful food on offer.

It is unclear which authority is in charge of the layby and cleaning it up, as it lies on Highways Agency land.

Shepway District Council has promised to tackle the trouble and may even shut the layby completely as a means of solving the problem. But there is concern that will only move the trouble elsewhere.

Sarah Smith, from the council, said: “This is big problem and one that one we want to crack because of the poor impression it can give about Shepway.

"The layby is mainly used by lorry drivers and many of them dump their litter even thought there are litter bins there. We also have problems with excrement in bags.

“It is difficult to keep pace with the problem because the layby is in constant use and the speed of traffic presents a hazard for those people clearing it.

“We will be cleaning it again...and we are looking at ways of cleaning it safely, more effectively and more regularly.

“We are also looking into how we might get the layby closed permanently – as this will be the only way to resolve the situation.”