The huge pile of manure was dumped outside the picturesque pub this morning (Picture: Solent News & Photo Agency)

A mountain of manure has been dumped outside an idyllic countryside pub by a lover accusing the landlord of having an affair with their wife.

The huge pile of horse faeces is finished off with hand-written signs poking out of it, reading ‘the landlord is f****** my wife’, in the leafy village of Hawkley, in Hampshire.

Five placards stuck in the two-metre tall mound accused pub landlord, Simon Emberley, of cheating on his wife Joanna.

A chalk board was also left reading ‘Limited offer! Free local horse manure donated by generous supplier! Jo and Simon xx’.


But the owner vehemently denied the allegations and said someone is trying to ruin his business – but he nor his wife have any idea who dumped it.



Police have now launched an investigation into the ‘malicious communications’ written onto the signs stuck into the heap.

Neighbours said they were left in ‘fits of laughter’ when they saw the manure outside the award-winning Hawkley Inn this morning, which was so wide it caused delays for motorists trying to get through the village.

The placards read: ‘The landlord is f****** my wife’ (Picture: Solent News & Photo Agency)

The landlord and his wife say they have no idea who left the mound of manure (Picture: Solent News & Photo Agency)

Mr Emberley said the allegations are ‘unfounded and untrue’ and was stunned to discover it this morning.

Speaking from his pub, the landlord, said: ‘All I know is I turned up for work at 7.30 this morning, and there was a big pile of s*** in the road.

‘I don’t know where it’s come from or who has done it, but something like this can turn somebody’s life upside down.

‘Whoever has done it is trying to ruin our business,’ adding: ‘It is unfounded and untrue.’

Neighbour Philip Chippindale said he saw it on his road after a friend called him in ‘fits of laughter’ about it.

Mr Chippindale, 70, said: ‘When I saw it, I thought “my god, what’s that doing there?” It was a trailer load – people had to drive around it.

‘Somebody had already told me about it on the phone – he was in fits of laughter about it.

Simon Emberley denied the claims and has reported it to police (Picture: Facebook)

‘It’s a mystery how it got there.’

Another resident on the quiet country road said his brother heard a vehicle pull up outside the pub at around midnight last night.

The pile was promptly cleaned up by workmen this morning and washed away with a hosepipe.

A Hampshire police spokeswoman said: ‘We can confirm we are investigating an allegation of malicious communications following an incident in which offensive signage was placed outside a pub in Liss.

‘The five placards were placed in a pile of manure that had also been dumped outside the Hawkley Inn in Pococks Lane.

‘It is believed they had been placed there overnight between 10.30pm on August 18 and the following morning.’

The pub is described as a ‘jewel’ on its website and less than a fortnight ago, it received a rave review in the Sunday Times, in which it was said the chef’s ‘hand-raised steak and kidney pies will fuel hours of exploration’.



The Hawkley Inn has also been recognised by Trip Advisor, Trivago and the AA for its excellent food and service.

Got a story for Metro.co.uk? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page.