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A shopkeeper has spoken of her shock and disgust after a "nicely dressed couple" came into her shop and allegedly left a 'nasty surprise' in the fitting room.

Maxine Lawrence, owner of Samarkand in Minehead, Somerset, says she found faeces in the changing room which she described as looking "like an explosion" after the couple's visit on Thursday afternoon.

Photos shared with Mirror Online appear to show faeces all over the carpet and smothered on the walls in a cubicle.

Maxine, 46, said she "couldn't believe it" and had to close the shop because of the smell, which she says will cost her about £1000 in losses.

She says she had to pick up the mess herself, wearing gloves, and is getting a specialist cleaning company in to sort out the rest.

(Image: Supplied)

Maxine Lawrence, from Somerset, told Mirror Online: "The woman spotted a dress she liked and went into the changing rooms to try it on.

"When I took the dress back, I thought, 'there's s*** on this'.

"Then when I checked the dressing room it was like an explosion - just s*** all over the floor.

"It was diarrhea. My insurance company says they have never had a claim like it."

Maxine says the couple appeared to be aged between 30 and 40.

She said after the woman tried some clothes on, they walked out of the fitting room and handed the clothes back to her.

Then the couple walked out of the shop without saying anything, Maxine claims.

After they left, Maxine says she unravelled the dress and discovered the nasty surprise.

"I couldn't believe it," she said.

"A customer tried to come in after and I said 'you can't come in'.

"The customer could smell it. The whole shop smells so bad, I can't open it.

"I can't open the shop until the specialist cleaning company have been in and decided whether the carpet needs to be changed.

"I'm going to be down by a huge amount of money, thanks to them it will cost me about a grand.

"I had to pick the poo off the floor with gloves."

Maxine thinks the woman may have been unwell, but says they should have been honest and explained there'd been an accident.

"If they had said an accident had happened it would be different," she said.

"But to just leave is disgraceful. The worst thing is they didn't even buy the dress - they pegged it."

Maxine said she reported the incident to police.

Mirror Online has contacted Avon and Somerset Police for comment.

Visit Samarkand's Facebook page here.