Requests from Southern Water for "pollution spotters" to look out for condoms, tampons and dead fish has drawn ire from campaign groups.

Signs put up by the company also asks the public to report "strange odours" in Kent's rivers and along the coast.

The notices, which are understood to be posted across the county, call for people to alert the company to possible incidents.

Possible symptoms of a pollution incident, the sign says, could include "wipes, sanitary towels, tampons, condoms or other small bathroom items" in the water.

There could also be "discolouration or strange odours in rivers or streams, and overflowing manholes or water flowing from the ground".

A spokesperson for campaign group SOS Whitstable says the signs raised questions over the company's ability to handle leaks.

"Southern Water asking local residents to become 'pollution spotters' raises concerns over their ability to monitor their own detection systems, especially given recent reports of faulty water quality sensors around the country," they added.

"Our customers are vital eyes on the ground"

"Additionally, the sanitary materials mentioned on this sign, as well as the reference to dead fish and wildlife in distress, makes a mockery of their attempts to play down storm flow releases as '95% rainwater'."

A Southern Water spokesperson said that the signs related to sewer blockages across the county, rather than solely at the beach.

"Our customers are vital eyes on the ground," he added.

"There are 1,164 posters across the region and we’ve been installing them for two years. They primarily relate to sewer blocks caused by wet wipes, fat, oil and other things that people should not put in the sewer.

"Customers out walking in rural areas might spot a manhole overflowing for example.

"We are placing flow sensors in our sewer network. These can detect if flows are dropping – the tell tale sign of a fatberg build up – and we can respond before the sewer completely blocks and causes pollution."