New football club sign after CCTV seen over toilet
Sharon Armfield spotted the CCTV camera above her head while using the toilet at the Swindon Town stadium
- Published
A football fan who "got a surprise" when she spotted a CCTV camera pointed at the female toilets says she is happy the club has now put up warning signs.
Sharon Armfield was visiting toilets at Swindon Town's County Ground when she spotted a camera above on her.
The club has now installed signs on toilet doors and at the ground warning people that CCTV is in operation.
It added that camera had not been moved "as it meets the appropriate privacy and safeguarding standards" but "this is under review".
Sharon Armfield shot of the club's camera above the toilet cubicle attracted more than 124,000 views on X, formerly Twitter
Ms Armfield said: "It was only when it was posted on social media that something was done about it."
The 59-year-old was visiting the Arkell's Stand at the ground as a matchday volunteer at AFC Wimbledon.
"I'd only been drinking cokes, but, knowing the game would be going to last at least 90 minutes, I needed to use the facilities," she said.
It was while she was in the female toilet cubicle that she "happened to glance up" and was a "bit shocked" to see a camera.
"I was sat on the toilet at the time with my jeans around my ankles, so there wasn't a lot I could do," she said.
"But I thought if I can see the camera, it can see me, and that's not right.
"Even if it's just the top of my head - the toilet is a private area."
The camera was spotted in the Arkell's John Trollope Stand on the right
Her image of the club's camera attracted more than 124,000 views on X, formerly Twitter.
Since then, the League Two club has put up a number of signs around the ground warning people that CCTV cameras are in operation, and has updated its policy.
The new signage also assured fans that "viewing in sensitive areas" was restricted by a "digital privacy blur" which ensured supporters using toilet cubicles were not visible.
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In a statement, the club said the camera had not been moved "as it meets the appropriate privacy and safeguarding standards".
"However, this is under review during which we have to consider the potential impact on its primary safety and security function," it said.
"In the meantime, a sign has been put in place to advise fans that the camera does not have a view into the female toilets.
The club said there were 36 cameras installed in various places around the stadium for safety and security monitoring purposes.
"The CCTV system was upgraded last year (the replaced CCTV camera had been in the same location for a number of years) and since the upgrade we have only received one specific complaint," it added.
- Published15 April
