Cheltenham Festival goers urged not to use town 'like a toilet'

Mr Wilkinson said "public urination at any time is disgusting"

People who have been visiting The Festival for the Gold Cup "shouldn't treat Cheltenham like a toilet", a councillor has said.

Max Wilkinson added that residents are "absolutely sick of seeing a minority of misbehaving racegoers".

A 'War on Wee' was launched last year, with a special hydrophobic paint being applied to walls near the racecourse.

Councillor Julian Tooke said people should "think twice" before weeing in public.

Mr Tooke said urinating outside is "disgusting" and can be intimidating for residents.

"It tends to be large groups of men who often have had quite a few drinks, so people don't like it and they're also afraid to confront them," he added.

Mr Tooke believes there has been a reduction in street urination on previous years due to more toilets, marshals and police

Cheltenham Borough Council has put water-repellent paint on walls in the town centre and offered it to local residents to use on their properties.

The urine will splash back if it hits a surface that has been painted with it.

Mr Tooke added: "I understand the value of the races to Cheltenham. The residents get that too.

"At the same time though, people want to feel respected and they want to feel safe."

Similar schemes have used the special wall coating, which is designed to soak anyone who urinates against it

Mr Tooke feels more police in the town would make a "big difference".

"This is a public safety issue. It deserves a high level of policing," he added.

Mr Wilkinson, who headed up the War on Wee campaign last year, said: "There's more than enough public loos around and there's loos in everywhere that's serving drinks as well.

"You shouldn't treat Cheltenham like a toilet."