A toddler was left in tears after wetting herself in an arcade where staff would not let her use the toilet.

Dismayed dad Alex Wasikowski visited The Flamingo in Margate on Saturday with his wife Poppy, two-year-old Georgia and five other family members.

They played and spent money for about 25 minutes, before Georgia – who is fully potty-trained – told her dad she was “desperate” for a wee.

When Mr Wasikowski asked a member of staff if his daughter could use any of the facilities on-site, he was told no.

When he later challenged this, he says he was told that “not even the disabled, pregnant, or elderly” are allowed to use the toilets unless they are playing at Lost Island Adventure Golf, which is linked to The Flamingo and on another floor of the building.

The company has now apologised to the family, while also blasting council bosses over the closure of the Clock Tower public toilets opposite the arcade.

But Mr Wasikowski told KentOnline that arcade staff should have let his daughter use the business’s facilities.

He said: “She's a two-year-old girl. Could they not have just excused it for one second?

“The staff said: ‘No, we'll lose our jobs. The owner said we can't do it anymore.’”

Mr Wasikowski then decided they would walk to the Margate Main Sands public toilets 500 yards away – but it was too late.

“I knew she was desperate and that's when she proceeded to wet herself," he said.

“I'm not going to lie – I found it quite funny when she just wet herself all over the carpet. It was karma.”

The Broadstairs resident was then left to clean up his daughter, who will turn three in March, in the car.

“It’s a completely bizarre rule to have...”

“Georgia was upset about wetting herself. It's quite embarrassing,” the construction contracts manager said.

“She is fully potty-trained so it’s rare for this to happen with her.

“It was an uncomfortable situation and a perfectly avoidable one.

“I’m not sure why they did it and why they felt the need to deny access.”

The family returned to the arcade and asked to speak to the manager.

“We had been in there spending money and I wanted an explanation,” Mr Wasikowski said.

“The manager – who turned out to be the same guy we had spoken to before – doubled down.

“He said: ‘Yep, we've been told no one's allowed to go down there. What do you expect us to do? Let pregnant women and disabled people down there as well.’

“It blindsided me a bit. I thought it was harsh.

“Then I asked for an apology.

“They said: ‘No, we're not giving you one because it's our policy.’

“It’s a completely bizarre rule to have.”

Mr Wasikowski demanded that the manager call the arcade’s owner, James Godden, which he did. The businessman reportedly promised to call back but did not.

A spokesperson for The Flamingo told KentOnline that due to “damage and abuse” of the toilets within the Lost Island site, they can now only be used by golf customers.

They said: “We apologise for the unfortunate event which has occurred to the family.

“It is company policy not to allow the public to use the staff w/c in the arcade, which is commonplace in all retail environments, with it being in a secure area.

“The golf course does have toilet facilities, but due to damage and abuse from non-golf players, the decision had to be made that they are for golf customers only.

“Arcade customers do not have access to that area as they are on separate floors of the building to the main arcade.

“There are public toilets provided by the council on the seafront. It's a shame that there used to be two sets – now only one remains.

“We understand and sympathise with the situation, and it is a big frustration and annoyance that the council have yet to re-open the public toilet facilities right opposite the arcade.”

It is not the first time concerns have been raised about toilet provision in Margate.

Last year, artist Tracey Emin said she finds herself using the facilities in shops due to a lack of public loos in the seaside town.

Emin, who battled bladder cancer during lockdown and now has a urostomy bag, called for access to be improved.

She said she had been "appalled" to see human excrement on the beach and along the sea wall.

Similar problems have been experienced along the coast at Botany Bay in Broadstairs, where people started using the Botany Bay Hotel’s facilities in the summer months.

Locals report people urinating outside “inadequate” run-down public toilets, while “buckets of human waste” have been cleared from the coast.

However, Thanet District Council has recently approved a £1.5 million overhaul of its public toilets

The move has been welcomed, with the first phase of work hoped to be completed in time for the summer.