COUNCIL bosses have confirmed they have been forced to close a public toilet while cleaning work takes place.

The public toilets located at the Halstead Public Gardens on Kings Road have had to be temporarily closed after the return of a banned homeless man.

it comes after Halstead Town Council banned the man in September due him not having "respect for the property he is using."

The council had received complaints due to consistent mess in the public toilets with one residents describing them as "filthy" and cliaming he was forced to use a pub's facilities instead.

According the council, the man had been using the toilets for washing.

Essex police were alerted and the man was subsequently banned.

But now the council say they have been forced to temporarily shut the toilets after the man breached his ban.

The council say the toilets were once again made into a mess and have now closed the toilets to clean up.

A spokesman for the council said: "You may know that the culprit was arrested and kept in custody for a day or two.

"In spite of the fact that we issued a banning order he has over the past few days been back to the toilets and started making a mess.

"They are currently closed while we clean up."