Exmouth police have stepped up patrols in a bid to crackdown on a fresh reports toilets in Manor Gardens are being used as a meeting police for frisky couples.

Since the middle of June, patrol officers and neighbourhood beat officers have carried out high-visibility patrols in a bid to clamp down on any inappropriate behaviour being conducted in the busy public convenience.

Police said the success of the extra patrols could have pushed the thrill-seekers to seek privacy in the town’s other public loos – so officers plan to widen patrols.

Inspector Jez Capey has highlighted the concerns as ‘primary taskings’ and, as a result, every toilet patrol will be electronically logged on the force computer.

Sergeant Phil Godfrey said: “This highly visible and pro-active approach appears to have worked and, although this will continue in respect of the Manor Gardens, officers will be checking other public toilets in Exmouth to ensure that the inappropriate activity has not been displaced to other areas.

“Areas that will receive the same level of attention as the Manor Gardens will include toilets at the Magnolia car park, the Queens Drive and the seafront.”

Sergeant Nick Southern said: “The incidents involving sexual encounters in Manor Gardens toilets have reduced, but police feel that the issue may have been displaced and ask again for the public to report any incidents in any of the town public toilets to the police.”