MARKS & Spencer’s food hall in Oxford was closed for a second day yesterday after the store continued to investigate a reported sewage leak.

The Queen Street store’s cafe and toilets were closed from about 2pm on Tuesday as reports emerged of a bad smell emanating from the food hall.

One customer leaving the shop said: “You could see excrement on the floor – it was everywhere. It was the sort of smell that you could feel in the back of your throat, it was horrible.”

Marks & Spencer staff directed customers away from the food hall and closed off the upstairs cafe, informing them of a water leak.

A spokesman for Marks & Spencer said: “M&S Oxford’s food hall, including the cafe and toilets, is currently closed while contractors deal with a flooding issue.

“The rest of the store remains open to the public. We hope to reopen the food hall as soon as possible.”

The spokesman was unable to confirm if the flooding was sewage.

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