A public toilet block has been branded disgusting after grim pictures showed drugs paraphernalia left on its floor and graffiti daubed across its walls.

A visitor to the loos in William Street, Herne Bay, urged residents to "avoid the site at all costs" as she shared the photographs on social media last Tuesday.

The images showed grubby seats, a makeshift pipe thought to have been used for drug-taking, burned toilet-roll holders and graffiti which complained of the "rank" facilities.

Reacting to the pictures, one social media user noted: "It's sad these are being abused.

"Some people need to use these facilities."

The graffiti photographed in the loos stated the "toilet is rank" and that "crack pipes" had been found inside.

A resident said they "feel for those in desperate need to use these toilets - it's unfair what's happening in there" after seeing the pictures.

Another local stated they had "never it seen it so bad in there" when they visited the site, which is located next to Herons Leisure Centre, recently.

A different Facebook commenter blamed "bored feral children" for the mess, while one user urged those "abusing" the block to "take better care of it".

Officials from Canterbury City Council, which runs the building, say the "selfish vandals" blighting the loos are a "disgrace".

Spokesman Leo Whitlock told KentOnline: "We are sorry our toilets were found in this state.

"It is an absolute disgrace council taxpayers’ money has to be spent cleaning up after selfish vandals and others who seem determined to ruin a community facility for everyone else.

"It is a kick in the teeth for our hard-working contractors who do their utmost to keep our toilets clean.

“On the day these photos were taken, the toilets in question were cleaned early morning, early afternoon and again in the evening before they were closed for the night."

Mr Whitlock stresses the cleaner "dealt with all of the issues shown in the pictures, including a very dirty toilet, wiped the graffiti from the walls and removed the drug paraphernalia".

The loo-roll holder was also restocked and locked by staff.

The spokesman says authority officers are "working closely with the police to tackle anti-social behaviour in this area".

He added: “If you do find any of the toilets we operate in a state, please report it using the details on the signs outside the loo.

"We we will endeavour to clean up the mess as quickly as we can.”

The facilities have suffered from anti-social behaviour previously.

In 2019 a man and his young child were allegedly threatened by a man wielding a syringe in the toilet block.

The year before, the facilities were temporarily closed after cleaners were targeted by teen thugs who threatened to throw acid over the workers.