VANDALS who are routinely trashing public toilets have been branded "mindless idiots" by a local authority.

Inverclyde council representatives say yobs have been targeting the community facilities at Coronation Park in Port Glasgow routinely and have vowed to catch the culprits.

The loos have been destroyed by vandals who have ripped fixtures and fittings from walls, emptied soap dispensers and poured the contents of bins all over the floor.

Community wardens have stepped up their patrols in the area in a bid to track down the vandals, and are reviewing CCTV.

Inverclyde Council’s Environment & Regeneration Convener Councillor Michael McCormick said: "This is an absolute disgrace and the culprits will be tracked down and prosecuted. "These are well-used facilities and an important part of the town centre.

"Mindless idiots who seem to think it is fun and clever to wreck them deserve to feel the full force of the law and learn the consequences of their idiotic actions."

Mr McCormick said the operating hours for the facilities may have to be reviewed as a result of the vandalism, and added: " We have recently upgraded the bus terminus in Port Glasgow, invested in improvements to sea wall defences and the cycle track at Coronation Park.

"With further investment plans for the town centre and park area, the last thing we want to do is give in to mindless vandals.”