A disgruntled drinker hurled poo-filled balloons at his local social club in a bizarre revenge attack after he was barred.

Industrial cleaners had to be called in after Charles McGeary's homemade dirty bombs caused £2000 worth of damage when they exploded on impact at the Royal British Legion club in South Shields. A court heard that the excrement-filled balloons - which were tied up with fishing cord - penetrated the club's shutters and covered the carpet, walls and curtains as well as damaging stock.

South Tyneside magistrates were told that McGeary launched his turd bomb attack after being barred from the popular club following an earlier incident. Prosecutors said he had also lobbed similar missiles - loaded with excrement, urine and rotten food - into a neighbour's backyard over a two-month period.

McGeary, 49, admitted three charges of criminal damage and harassment without violence. He was ordered to pay the club £1000 in compensation, and was given a 12-month probation order and an electronic tag with a 9pm-7am curfew order for 13 weeks.

The outlandish stink bomb attack has left locals feeling dung-struck. Club secretary Bob Wilson described the poo projectiles as "beyond disgusting."

He told the Shields Gazette: "It beggars belief that someone could act in such a disgusting manner against an honourable organisation such as ourselves, which looks after ex-servicemen. He should be utterly ashamed of himself. I don't even want to think about how he got this excrement into the balloons."