Thugs targetting seaside toilet blocks have struck again leaving a council counting the cost once more.

Canterbury City Council, which has now seen four of its loos damaged by violent louts in recent weeks, said the latest attack on toilets at Hampton play area, Herne Bay took place on Sunday afternoon.

And with asbestos present in the building, the council has warned it will have to call in a specialist - which could rack up a heavy bill.

A spokesman for the authority said: "We are very sorry to say the public toilets at the Hampton play area have been vandalised and will now be closed for an extended period.

"This may initially appear simple to repair, but there is asbestos present in this building and we will need to call in a specialist company to deal with this.

"Safety is our number one priority and we always take extra precautions particularly where asbestos is involved.

"This is just the latest in a series of incidents over the last few weeks where our toilets have been mindlessly vandalised, including at vital facilities such as the Changing Places disabled facility at Whitstable Harbour.

"Such pointless behaviour makes life harder for the public and costs thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money to repair."

Taking place between 2pm and 7pm, the attack means the toilets will be out of action during the Easter holidays, with the nearest facilities a five-minute walk away at Hampton Pier.

The council has vowed to liaise with police in order to crack down on this latest spell of anti-social behaviour.

It comes after separate incidents recently saw racist graffiti scrawled on a toilet at Whitstable Cemetery, and specialist equipment at Whitstable Harbour destroyed alongside costly damage at Herne Bay Memorial Park.

Speaking last week to KentOnline, Labour councillor for Gorrell ward Val Kenny said she was "appalled" to hear about the vandalism but argued the situation wasn't as simple as it appeared.

"I'm appalled at any vandalism, it's just dreadful and people shouldn't behave like this," said Cllr Kenny.

"We've had meetings with the police to look at the situation of anti-social behaviour in the area because we are very concerned.

"But the underlying question is what on earth do people expect if you strip back so many services? We have to look deeper into the issue.

"Regardless though, there is no excuse for gross vandalism and we need Whitstable to be a good place for residents to live and tourists to visit."

The loo block at Hampton play area has been subject to attention from public and the council before, with a long-running debate over what to do with the building.

In September last year, residents told KentOnline of their hopes of seeing the unsightly toilets redeveloped, with senior councillor Andrew Cook calling it "a blot on the landscape".

The facilities had been set to be demolished before a massive backlash from locals saw the plans overturned last July.

Almost 90% opposed the plans to scrap the building, with many parents saying the loos were essential for families visiting the nearby play area.

Anyone with information about the attack on Hampton play area toilets, can call the police appeal line on 01843 222289 quoting crime reference DP-14576-23-4646-01.