?22,000 For A Can Of Poo

The Tate gallery has come under fire for spending more than ?22,000 of UK taxpayers' money on a tin filled with human excrement.

The 30g can contains faeces donated by the late Italian artist Piero Manzoni.

Tory MP Sir Teddy Taylor condemned the exhibit at the London gallery, saying it sickened him.

The Tate, which gets money from the Government, paid the equivalent of ?745 a gram for the tinned poo - ?200 more than gold.

Gullible

According to The Sun, Manzoni produced a "limited edition" of 90 cans back in 1961.

It said he carried out the stunt to prove the gullibility of art lovers.

Manzoni died aged 29 in 1963, since when more than half of the cans have exploded.

'Very important purchase'

A Tate spokesman denied the poo purchase was a waste of money.

He said: "This was very important purchase for an extremely small amount of money. Nobody can deny that."