Dubai: A shop owner has returned from holiday to find her premises soiled, with the toilet facilities being used by labourers.

Shahra Banu came back to Dubai after three months in the USA to find her shop damaged and filthy, with the doors open.

It is situated in the England cluster in International City, and is thought to have been additionally damaged by the sewage floods that have pervaded the area over the last four months.

"I don't know what's happened, but it's in a terrible condition," she said. "I was going to rent out the shop, but who is going to rent it in this condition? I saw labourers using my shop as a washing area and one of them was using the toilet. These ground-floor shops shouldn't be here with the drainage problem - the area should be used for parking," Banu said.

Investigations

Banu sought Dubai Police advice and will be filing a report.

"When I went inside and saw the toilet, I felt sick. The tiles are completely black. There are pipes all over the floor and food wrappers. It's so bad I don't think it's cleanable and the bathroom and kitchen need to be replaced," she said.

According to Nakheel, International City watchmen are employed by Dubai Security Services (DSS) and are responsible only for common areas and actual buildings, but do not have access to private properties or retail units.

Police are currently investigating how the workers gained access to her property.