Increasing numbers of motorhome owners illegally "wild camping" in car parks across North Norfolk has been blamed for blocking public toilets and incorrectly disposing of waste.

Wild camping is illegal in most of England, and overnight stays in North Norfolk District Council's car parks are prohibited with motorhome owners instead encouraged to make use of the area's many campsites.

But the number of motorhomes and caravans using certain car parks on the coast has been described as "beyond ridiculous".

In recent weeks NNDC has received increasing reports of motorhome owners staying overnight in public car parks and emptying wastewater into public toilets, said to be causing blockages.

Motorhomes have been reported parking up in car parks at Weybourne, East Runton, Overstrand, Cart Gap and Sea Palling.

There have also been reports at Salthouse Shingle Bank, Salthouse Heath, Bacton Woods and even the NNDC’s own office car park in Cromer.

North Norfolk News: All of the North Norfolk's key towns have public car parks, as do most beaches.All of the North Norfolk's key towns have public car parks, as do most beaches. (Image: © ARCHANT NORFOLK 2011)

In Weybourne, an eco-toilet designed to manage toilet waste naturally has been blocked to the extent that NNDC has had to arrange for "more traditional emptying of the facility".

Lyndon Swift, chairman of Weybourne Parish council said: "We've fought for years to try and get a toilet, then NNDC provide us with one that's a little bit different and unfortunately the minority go and spoil it for everybody else.

"The number of motorhomes that are down on the car park these days is beyond ridiculous.

"The council does its best in keeping up with it but what can it do when people don't respect the rules," he added.

North Norfolk News: Lyndon Swift, chairman of Weybourne Parish Council. Picture: Supplied by Mr SwiftLyndon Swift, chairman of Weybourne Parish Council. Picture: Supplied by Mr Swift (Image: Archant)

A spokesperson for NNDC said the problem was not isolated to Weybourne and other public toilets have been "similarly used for the emptying and disposal of wastewater" leading to "increased reports of toilets being blocked are having to be responded to by the Council’s direct workforce and contractors".

The council said while it was "aware" of requests from motorhome users for local authorities to provide “motorhome aire” type facilities - which are popular on the continent, NNDC "does not provide any such facilities at this time and believes that the needs of motorhome visitors can best be met through the large number of formal and pop-up campsites which exist across the district".