FURIOUS residents in Teignmouth are demanding action after it was discovered CCTV cameras have been placed INSIDE cubicles at the town’s new pubic toilets.

The cameras installed in the town council-run Den toilets have been described as a breach of privacy and a safeguarding risk for children using the facilities.

Anger was sparked after a parent took her children, one with special needs, to use the toilet and discovered the camera inside the cubicle.

The camera only stops recording when the cubicle door closes.

But many parents have pointed out, they often take children into the toilet, leaving the doors open to check on them.

Since the revelation, there has been public outrage and condemnation of the decision to install them in the first place.

Teignmouth Town Council, which runs the new toilets, responded to the fierce criticism saying the CCTV was needed following vandalism.

A town council spokesman said: ‘We would like to assure residents that there is no CCTV captured in the new toilets when the doors are closed.

'Sadly CCTV has been deployed in the new facilities due to repeated and extensive vandalism in the previous toilets.

'The police have been unable to act on that vandalism without "before and after" CCTV.

‘Before this system was deployed a full Data Protection Impact Assessment was completed.’

But it has been pointed out some adults also need assistance and leave the door ajar.

One mum said: ‘I have three children and with the younger two I don’t allow them to lock the door as they need my help.

‘This is a complete breach of privacy.’

Another said: ‘This is horrific! Doors are held open when little children use the toilet or a mum with a baby in a pushchair cannot get in the cubicle.

‘This is utterly shameful and so wrong.’

Many have now insisted they will refuse to use the new toilets.

One resident described it an ‘ultimate invasion of privacy’ and another said there was no justification for having CCTV in toilets.