Revellers caught relieving themselves in the street are being handed a mop and bucket by police and told to clean it up.

Officers are offering those urinating in public the chance to avoid an £80 fine if they agree to clean up after themselves.

Patrols are not carrying cleaning equipment on the beat, but are instead approaching venues close to where offenders are caught in the act and borrowing mops from them.

One man, a second year University of Brighton student, was forced to mop up in The Lanes, Brighton, on Friday, February 15 after he was caught urinating in the street.

Jennifer McGee, a second year journalism student at the University of Brighton, based in Hastings, said on Twitter: “Glad to see Sussex Police making my friend who urinated in the street on a night out clean it up.”

Miss McGee told The Argus: “I think that it’s good that the police made him clean up his wee.

“It’s gross seeing it on the ground when you’re on a night out. I’m always worried about standing in it and ruining my shoes.”

Risk of arrest

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “Anyone caught urinating in public could be liable to an £80 fixed penalty notice or even arrest depending on the circumstances, but if they offer or agree to clean up then we would encourage them to do so and offer some stern words of advice.”

Street pastor Ian Chisnall said he thought the move was a good idea.

He said: “Anything has to be a improvement on sticking people in a cell. It is a good idea to get people taking responsibility for their actions.

“I have occasionally seen people urinating in the street. It is terrible and so smelly. There is a visual element to it as well and it is a horrible thing.

“Anything that encourages people from doing it again is a good thing.”

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