A popular public water feature had to be turned off for cleaning after a man allegedly used it to wash out a container of his urine.

Gravesham council hired contractors to carry out work on the decorative fountains in Gravesend’s Community Square and police are also investigating.

Witness Keith Wassell reported the incident to both the council and police, as he was in the square with a friend enjoying a Greggs steak bake as it unfolded on Sunday afternoon.

“He relieved himself in a container, emptied it in a drain, and then washed it out in the fountains,” explained the 57-year-old.

“It looked like a purpose built container and he washed it out in the fountain in which children were playing.

“Parents have got to be aware of people behaving like that. It’s absolutely disgusting.

“If the council is cash-strapped as it is, it makes it even more irresponsible.”

Mr Wassell described the man as tall, bald, wearing a grey top with black knee-length shorts and football socks and spoke with an English accent.

A police spokesman said: “Kent Police is investigating a report that between 1pm and 1.10pm on Sunday 20, 2017, a man acted indecently in Windmill Street, Gravesend.

“A PCSO, who was in the area at the time, spoke to the man and gave words of advice to him.”

Meanwhile, Gravesham council has moved to reassure the public that they were at no point in any danger from the water.

“We carry out various weekly and monthly maintenance on our fountains in Community Square and as an extra precaution, following this incident, we have carried out additional cleansing of the fountains," said a spokesman.

"At no point were the public in any danger from the water and the fountains are back up and running as normal now.”