A disgusting mess left behind in a pay-as-you-go public loo has been compared to a stomach-churning scene from the film Trainspotting.

Faeces was smeared on the toilet and piles of used loo roll and rubbish covered the floor as locals called the revolting scene "disgraceful" and "proper grim".

A shocking photo of the city centre toilet in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent - which costs 10p to use - has left residents stunned and furious.

Locals are now calling on the local council to do more to keep the public loos clean and safe, the Stoke Sentinel reports.

The revolting scene inside the loo was called "proper grim" (
Image:
Stoke Sentinel)

The photo was passed on to Andy Day, coordinator of North Staffordshire Pensioners Convention, which had protested the closure of other nearby loos.

He said: "I have seen a lot of things in my time and I am not easily shocked but I think this is completely and utterly disgraceful. I can’t believe the city council has allowed them to get into that state, especially being five yards away from Greggs, a food outlet.

"What kind of message does that give to people outside of the city who are visiting? They are trying to open a Hilton Hotel, but they leave the public toilets like this.

"It's also a deterrent to people getting out and about, particularly old people who plan their day around toilet stops. If they are forced to use them in that state, they will panic.

It costs 10p to use the public loo in Hanley city centre (
Image:
Stoke Sentinel)

“They can't go in another one, but they also can't go in there. Even when they are clean, those 'tardis' style toilets are quite frightening places. I haven't met one member of the convention who likes using them."

Tracy Repeys, from Biddulph, said the council should never have replaced the Crown Bank toilets with the paid-for loo at Stafford Street and Percy Street.

The 43-year-old said: "Hanley is a big place and it needs some toilets, but they change things and make it worse. I wouldn't use these. They are permanently broken and it costs you 10p for the privilege.

"Everyone knows how bad they are and that puts people off. It just looks awful. It's 2018 and the facility isn't that old, but it doesn't look like it's moved on from the eighties.

The stomach-churning scene from the film Trainspotting

“You can only have one user at a time too and nobody is going to stand waiting outside that.

"I'd like to know how much it's costing to maintain them because it's a waste of money."

Empire Nutirition worker Sophie Wilson, 23, from Bentilee, said: "It's proper grim and to have to pay to get in too is disgusting. The old Crown Bank ones were sort of in the same state.

"I wouldn't ever use them myself but I have been up Hanley with my son when he's needed to go. I just don't trust these ones though."

Self-employed joiner Mark Hildreth was also horrified by the state of the facilities after coming to Hanley for work.

Video Loading

The 43-year-old, from Manchester, said: "It looks like a scene from Trainspotting. Of course something needs to be done. What can you do though? You can't put cameras in there. The only other thing is to put the price up. In Manchester the toilets cost only around 10p to 20p and that's why they have a problem.

"Rather than spending a penny, they should be spending a pound."

Councillor Abi Brown, deputy leader of the city council, said: “As someone with a young family who regularly visits the city centre, I completely understand the need for public toilet facilities that are safe and clean.

"That is why it is so frustrating not just for me but I’m sure everyone reading this that a mindless minority think that it’s OK to cause such vandalism that impacts on us all.

"Just like the mindless vandalism that has recently taken place inside the men’s toilets at the bus station, this latest incident is so disappointing to see and completely unnecessary.

“What is even more frustrating is that it is ultimately the hardworking taxpayers of the city who have to pay for the toilets to be fixed every time they are vandalised, and that money could be spent on so many better things.

"I would encourage anyone with information about this incident to contact the police. We will continue to monitor the situation in the future.”