A father-of-three has slated the dire state of facilities at a McDonald's restaurant in Watford, claiming it has become a haunt for drug addicts and homeless people.

Daniel Bailey took his three young children to the High Street outlet for a weekend treat but was appalled at the sight of the grimy floors, overflowing bins and cluttered tabletops inside.

Watford Observer:

The 31-year-old gardener said he could not even take his children to the toilet as there were used needles strewn about the floor.

“Drug use was everywhere, there was nowhere to sit and the whole place stank of wee,” he said.

“The whole place was a pig sty. It’s not a place you can take children to anymore.”

He added that he was lucky to prevent his son from sustaining an injury after he slipped on a patch of spilled tomato ketchup on the floor.

Commenting on the state of Watford in a wider sense, Mr Bailey said he was saddened at what he saw as the gradual deterioration of the town through the prevalence of drug use.

“It’s unbelievable that this is Watford. It used to be a lovely place but now I worry about my children’s safety. It’s terrible,” he added.

McDonald's said in a statement: “We apologise to Mr Bailey for his experience. Hygiene and cleanliness is of the utmost importance to us and as soon as the matter was brought to our attention, we were in touch with the restaurant team to investigate further.

"On this occasion we’re aware that we didn’t meet our usual high standards. The restaurant team will be making every effort to be extra vigilant with their routine inspections.

“Mr Bailey was offered a full refund for the cost of his meal and a free meal at the restaurant, which has been accepted. We hope to welcome him into the restaurant in the near future. ”