HUMAN excrement was smeared over a campaign shop opened in Greenock by local independence supporters.

Volunteers say they were left sick to their stomachs when they arrived to open up the Yes Inverclyde shop at the West Station and saw the mess.

Tom Tracey and wife Carol Ann told the Tele they were 'shocked' to find faeces covering the shutters of the Newton Street shop.

The couple, who volunteer at the shop, which opened just a month ago, believe it was a targeted attack and have reported it to the police.

Tom said: "I have been involved in politics for 50 years and I have never seen anything like this.

"It's absolutely disgusting.

"I don't have a problem with people disagreeing with my politics.

"That's always going to be the case but to stoop to that level is disgusting.

"Human faeces was smeared all over the lock and the handle."

Police officers are now scouring CCTV footage to see if they can identify who is responsible for the revolting attack, which the activists had to clean up.

Tom said: "Thankfully the girls in the hairdressers next door gave us buckets of water and bleach so we could clean it off."

Tom says the incident is cause for concern.

He said: "It does worry me.

"It's the first time I've seen anything like that in my 50 years in politics.

"Hopefully it's a one off.

"That's what the police said too, and they are going to keep an eye on it."

Carol Ann says she has been disheartened that someone would do something so vile.

She said: "As volunteers in the shop we give out information to anybody who's interested in hearing our side of the independence argument.

"It's just horrible for somebody to stoop so low to do that and leave it for other people to clean up, it's disgusting."

It is believed the incident happened some time between 3pm on Thursday afternoon and 10.45am on Friday morning.

Anyone with information should phone the police on 101.