A woman was "disgusted" after discovering a pile of faeces in the stairwell of a supermarket car park being used as a toilet. 

Rachel Stone was horrified to find a pile of excrement smeared on stairs in Asda car park in St Martin's Quarter as she went shopping.

She feared that there was a health risk, particularly to children, of the stairs being used as a toilet - especially as there are facilities a short walk away.

Miss Stone said: "It's disgusting, it's not very nice and it's just not what you want to see.

"I am surprised that no one else has reported it though.

"Imagine children going in there and finding it. 

"I went in there at Christmas and saw blood and needles one night at the bottom of the same car park."

READ MORE: Man arrested for growing cannabis

There is a toilet in the supermarket which is open from 7am to 10pm every day except for Sundays when it is open from 11am to 5pm. 

A spokesperson from Asda said it was taking action to stop anti-social behaviour in the car park.

They said: "We have recently installed locks on the doors alongside pre-existing cameras in an attempt to prevent anti-social behaviour in this area of the car park and as soon as the store was made aware of this particular incident it was dealt with immediately.

READ MORE: CCTV installed in Temeside Way underpass

"We would also like to reassure anybody who uses the car park that we have employed extra colleagues to work in and monitor the entire car park, and we are working with council services to try and deter similar events from happening in the future.’’

People who come into contact with faeces should wash their hands to avoid infection according to a medical journal.

A spokesperson from Medical News Today said: "A person can try to avoid infection by practising good hygiene.

"This involves washing the hands after coming into contact with other humans, animals, soil, and objects that may expose a person to faeces.

"Cooking food properly, washing vegetables, and storing refrigerated food appropriately can all help prevent food poisoning.

"If a person thinks that a child has consumed faeces, they should contact their doctor or poison centre."