Anti-social behaviour, including vandalism and drug-taking, has hit toilets at Newquay Harbour, a meeting of Cornwall Harbours Board heard on Thursday.

The meeting at Lys Kernow / County Hall in Truro, heard that the closure of public toilets in the town had brought an increase in anti-social behaviour and vandalism to the harbour toilets.

Photographs shared in a council report show clear signs of drug-taking, with a hypodermic syringe a left on a toilet cistern.

Board chairman Cllr Loic Rich said: “The toilets we run in Newquay harbour are subjected to some really bad vandalism and I mean the sort of vandalism where people deliberately put objects in there to harm other people.

"I won’t go into details but you can probably guess what I’m talking about.

“It’s not easy for us – we run harbours but a lot of the time we’re dealing with social issues as well. We deal with a lot of vulnerable people, homelessness and things like that.

"I don’t think we should underestimate the role of the harbourmasters and they should be thanked for that.”

The ladies’ and men’s toilets have since been cleaned and closed for the winter with the disabled toilet remaining open.

The harbours board also discussed the number of abandoned boats in Cornish ports that either need to be sold or disposed of, which would cost thousands of pounds.

Board members were also told the master of the sailing vessel Phoenix – which is renowned for its appearances in films and TV series such as Poldark and Hornblower – had requested a lay-up berth for the winter at the end of September.

At the beginning of December the vessel moved alongside the Trelissick pontoon, near Truro.

The committee also approved plans to use £60,000 of Port of Truro reserves to complete works to develop an additional retail space, covered seating, additional toilets and showers, and laundry facilities at Malpas marina on the Truro river.