THE NEXT time you use a cash machine you may want to think about who’s been there before you.

If you’re lucky, it will be a half-eaten burger or the remains of last night’s kebab. If not, it may be something more sinister as new research has revealed that ATMs carry as many germs as public toilets.

Dr Richard Hastings, microbiologist for antibacterial company BioCote said machines studied were “heavily contaminated” with bacteria, to the same level of nearby public lavatories.

“In addition, the bacteria we detected on ATMs were similar to those from the toilet, which are well-known causes of common human illness,” he added.

Swabs were taken from the keypads of several city centre ATMs and public toilet seats around England, with horrifying results.

Both were found to contain pseudomonades and bacillus, bacteria known to cause sickness and diarrhoea.

The research followed a survey of 3,000 people which showed public lavatories were considered the worst health risk, followed by phone boxes.

But people on the streets of Bournemouth were not overly concerned.

Daniela Kurrer, 26, from Landsdown said: “It doesn’t bother me, I think people are too picky, it hasn’t killed anyone.”

Hu Chung-Sheng, 22, has lived in Bournemouth for three months he said: “I’d still use them but maybe there should be alcohol gel attached.”

Jane Frisby, 65, from Salisbury, said: “It’s going too far, people will start to get obsessed.”

A spokesman for Watson Contract Cleansing Service in Bournemouth said: “It’s horses for courses. I imagine some people would be concerned about the cleanliness of the key pads, especially with illnesses like swine flu.”

So what can you do to avoid catching any of the lurking germs next time you need some cash?

Dave Petersen, director of Dorset Cleaning Services, said: “There’s not a lot you can do about it, being a public area, but I would suggest that you take some hand wipe or gel with you.”