A pub has jokingly hit back after having a massive pile of manure covered in foul-mouthed signs dumped outside it as a jilted lover accused its landlord of infidelity.

The dirty protest alleged the Hampshire pub's landlord and chef, Simon Emberley, had been cheating on his spouse, Joanna, with the wife of the anonymous sender.

Five signs protruding from the dung-heap, which was left outside the award-winning Hawkley Inn, near Liss, each bore the phrase 'the landlord is f***ing my wife'.

But the pub responded with a chalkboard sign outside which said: 'Limited offer! Free local horse manure donated by generous supplier! Jo and Simon xx.'

The Hawkley Inn near Liss, Hampshire, has responded with a chalkboard sign outside which said: 'Limited offer! Free local horse manure donated by generous supplier! Jo and Simon xx'

Staff posted a picture of the sign on Facebook, with the caption: 'Simon and I are happy to share the love bestowed upon us this morning by a kind but sadly anonymous benefactor.

'Such a shame we can't contact you directly to thank you in person! Anyone with roses that need a boost, you know where we are!'

The two-metre wide pile was so large that it caused delays for drivers trying to pass through the centre of the picturesque village, before being hosed away by workmen.

The dirty protest alleged the pub's landlord and chef, Simon Emberley, had been cheating on his spouse, Joanna (pictured together)

It was found early yesterday morning by a baffled Mr Emberley, who said he had no idea who has left it there.

Mr Emberley denied the expletive-riddled allegations, claiming the manure and messages were a smear campaign against him and were 'unfounded and untrue'.

Speaking from his pub yesterday, he 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.

'It is unfounded and untrue - whoever has done it is trying to ruin our business.'

The poo is now the talk of the town, with locals speculating over who could have put it there. Mrs Emberley said the dung was 'in the hands of the police now'.

She added: 'We have done nothing wrong, it is very unfortunate - a group of bullies who have targeted us for no reason.

'We're over it - there are much more important things going on in the world. It's time to move on and talk about something else.'

One resident, Philip Chippindale, said he saw it on his road after a friend called him in 'fits of laughter'.

The huge pile of dung was piled up outside the picturesque pub in the village of Hawkley

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. 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.

Police have now launched an investigation into the 'malicious communications' written on the five signs stuck into the heap.

Regulars at the country pub today speculated a farmer was responsible for the heap.

A man living 100m from the pub, who gave his name as Tim, believes it 'must have been a farmer' because it is thought the heap was cow dung.

Tim, in his 70s, said: 'I went to the pub last night and that was all everybody was talking about.

'Simon is a very funny chap, but he can sometimes wind people up and crack a few jokes.

'But we can't understand why someone would have a vendetta against him.'

He said the locals first thought it was horse manure but now believe it to be cow muck - which has led them to think it was a farmer.

The pub responded to the manure by putting up a sign offering it to for other people's gardens

Tim continued: 'We don't see Simon out the front of the pub much because he is a chef.

'I don't know about his personal life, but he seems very happy with his wife Joanna.

'There has been talk of them looking to sell the pub, so maybe that has something to do with it.'

One furious mother who lives next to the pub has been forced to keep her windows shut because of the smell that is still lingering in the air over 24 hours later.

The mother-of-two, aged in her 30s, who did not wish to be named, said her four-year-old son 'struggled to fall asleep' last night because of the smell.

Living just 50 metres from the pub, she said: 'It was horrendous.

'My partner got in his truck to leave for work and came across the giant pile of poo.

'He called me and told me what he saw and I couldn't believe it.

The pub is described as a 'jewel' online, located in an area of outstanding natural beauty

'We thought it was funny at first, but you could still smell the poo after it had been removed.

'It got to around 8pm last night and my four-year-old just couldn't settle. It was a warm evening so we opened a window, but all we could smell was the poo.

'So we had no choice but to keep the windows shut, it was very stuffy and hot.

'Even this morning the smell of poo is still in the air. Whoever did this is very selfish.'

Colin Richardson, who also lives in the village, added: 'I'm surprised it has been this long and still no one knows who is responsible.

'It's a great pub and whenever I have been in there everyone is very friendly.

'It's a big accusation to make, and it's a very interesting way of making the accusation.

'Everyone in the village is very confused.'

The Hawkley Inn has previously been recognised by travel sites such as Tripadvisor and Trivago for its excellent standards of food and service.

The pub is described as a 'jewel' on its website, located in an area of outstanding natural beauty that attracts visitors to the 'beautiful views' of the South Downs National Park.