A MAN was caught on camera defecating next to a gatepost — right beside a sign which reads ‘CCTV in operation’.

The incident was captured on Sunday evening on Johnson Road in Darwen. The owner of the CCTV camera said the man even left her a souvenir for the following morning - a used tissue discarded on the drystone wall.

Lancashire Telegraph:

In a video sent to the Lancashire Telegraph, the man can be seen standing next to a fence which forms the entrance to what looks like an allotment.

He then takes a look to his left to see if anyone is around, before unzipping his trousers, pulling them down, squatting onto the fence slat and proceeding to do his business in plain sight.

A female is then seen walking away and can be heard saying, “I can’t believe you’re going there”.

Lancashire Telegraph:

The CCTV footage belongs to a Darwen resident who rents the plot of land, close to the sink company, Shaws of Darwen.

She said the incident happened at around 8.15pm on Sunday and when she went to open up the following morning, found the man had left his used tissue on the drystone wall.

The resident, who did not want to be named, said: “He has squatted right next to a gatepost on which I have a sign saying ‘CCTV in operation’.

Lancashire Telegraph:

“The thing is, he’s walked about 200 yards past a wooded area.

“So instead of doing it under some cover in the woods, he’s come to an open entrance where you can clearly see the bright yellow ‘CCTV in operation’ sign on the gatepost. It’s right next to where he squatted.

“Maybe I’ll go on Dragons' Den with an invention of poo bags for humans who can’t read signs.”

The resident said she could understand the reasons for defecating in public if someone was ill and got caught short, but was baffled by the decision to choose such an open location when there was a wooded area nearby.

She added: “He’s literally defecated right in the entrance, it was pretty disgusting.

“Two ladies come here of a morning and get out of their car on that side of the gate so they can open it; so they would’ve stepped in it if I hadn’t cleaned it up.

“Him leaving his used tissue behind was disgusting too.

“Even his poor wife walked off saying ‘I can’t believe you’re going there’.

“If he’d walked just a few steps further he would’ve come to a gate straight into a field with high hedges off the main road, but no, he did it right in front of the cameras. Unbelievable.”

Lancashire Telegraph:

West Pennine Ward Councillor, Cllr Colin Rigby said what the man did was inexcusable and if he really needed to relieve himself outdoors he should have chosen a more appropriate place.

He said: “I honestly don’t know what to say to this. He could’ve found somewhere with a shelter couldn’t he, or somewhere more private. It’s totally inexcusable.”