Police have arrested a man after poo was smeared on a Caribbean restaurant’s windows and traffic light buttons.

The incident happened at Saint Smokey’s BBQ House in Canterbury at about 1.30am on Wednesday, with excrement also wiped across the buttons of a pedestrian crossing near Waitrose in St George’s Place.

A 45-year-old man has since been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.

A police spokesman said: “Officers investigating reported damage to a business and street furniture in St George's Place, Canterbury in the early hours of Wednesday April 10 have arrested a 45-year-old man on suspicion of criminal damage.

“He remains in custody while enquiries into the incident continue.”

Stevie Bradshaw, who runs Saint Smokey’s with husband Luke and her father-in-law, told KentOnline: “We were really shocked, disgusted and confused as to why anybody would do that anywhere - let alone to us.”

She also claims that faeces was pushed into a lock, making opening the door difficult.

Mrs Bradshaw, 36, added: ‘“It took staff half of the morning to make sure they had disinfected and cleaned thoroughly.”

Father-and-son team Saint Davis and Luke Bradshaw last year found their dream location at St George’s Place, moving from their site in The King’s Mile.

With far more space, they increased the number of tables from 10 to almost 90 in the new eatery opposite Waitrose - taking over the former Cafe De China buffet, most recently called Yummy Kitchen.