CHANGING a baby’s nappy isn’t the most pleasant of tasks, but having to change it in these disgusting conditions in the toilets at Salisbury’s Churchill Gardens makes a nasty job so much worse.

The baby changing area in the men’s toilets is covered with mould, rust, peeling paint, litter and dirt.

This picture, showing the horrible state of the changing table, was taken by Tom Varney when he went into the toilets at the popular park to change his one-year-old son Reece’s nappy at the weekend.

“We’d had a lovely trip around the park with Reece riding on his little trike and I just needed to change his nappy before we headed home,” said Mr Varney, who is director of TVS boiler spares company, based at Churchfields Industrial Estate.

“I went into the men’s toilets and the changing table was absolutely revolting.

“There was no way I was going to put my baby anywhere near it.

“It was a health hazard, covered in mould and goodness knows what else.

“Babies put everything in their mouths anyway and the stuff growing on there could have made him seriously ill.

“My wife Vickie was just as upset and we changed him in the car in the end.”

The toilets in Churchill Gardens were closed earlier this year due to regular vandalism and misuse.

Following repairs, they had been re-opened a few weeks ago with Salisbury District Council appointing contractors to clean and maintain them.

“To be fair the toilets themselves looked like they had been cleaned, but the changing table couldn’t have been touched for months,” added Mr Varney.

“These toilets are on the main Southampton Road.

“I’m sure visitors must often stop and use them but what kind of an impression does that create of Salisbury?

“I put the picture up online and everyone was just as disgusted.

“I’ve lived in Salisbury all my life and think we deserve better when our council tax is supposed to be spent on services like cleaning public toilets.”

Parks manager for Salisbury City Council Chris Stringer said the toilets had recently been re-opened and should have been properly maintained by contractors.

“Clearly something has gone very wrong here and it is very disappointing the facilities were in this condition,” he said.

“Following this we will be reviewing the way that the toilets are cleaned and inspected.”