Graffiti has blighted a newly-refurbished set of toilets within days of them being reopened.

More than £55,000 was spent on the public lavatories in the George Yard Shopping Centre in Braintree, and the men's was finally opened on July 7.

But just days later, "unscrupulous" vandals had drawn a two-foot high picture of a cat's head coupled with the words "hard core" in one of the cubicles and during the course of yesterday two more pieces of graffiti were added.

Derek Salmon, manager of the shopping centre, said: "We are at the mercy of the public and how they look after such conveniences, we have provided the facilities - please look after them."

Shopping centre owners P&O began the refurbishment at the end of Easter.

Mr Salmon said: "We completely demolished the internal structure and rebuilt it. It wasn't just a little face-lift, it was substantial upgrade."

Mr Salmon promised anyone found adding to the graffiti would be handed over to the police.

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