A BLOCK of women's toilets in Wootton Bassett have been out of use for a year. But now users of the Station Road lavatories on want them back.

They were boarded up after vandals went on a wrecking spree.

Residents say they are unhappy North Wiltshire District Council has taken so long to repair the facilities, and town councillors say amenities in Wootton Bassett are neglected.

Marilyn Hawson, 37, of Clarendon Drive, says her son Scott, three, often needs to spend a penny on his way home from Old Court Playgroup and the only one other set of public toilets in the town centre are located in the Borough Fields Shopping arcade.

She said: "I don't want to send him into the men's toilets by himself because he is too young."

Josephine White, 79, of Noremarsh Road said: "I think it is disgusting. The other ones are really far away especially when you have shopping to carry."

Town councillor Susan Cooksley (Con) said: "It gives a very poor impression for visitors. The town council is trying to promote tourism."

District Councillor Chris Wannell (Con) said: "I have been trying to get the toilets re-opened but the district council they didn't have enough money.

"They said it would be discussed at the first area committee meeting in the new financial year.

"There was no mention of the issue at the meeting last week and the next one is in October so it could be another two years until they are actually re-opened. That is just not acceptable."

Paul Langcaster, spokesman for NWDC, said: "Public toilets are provided as a discretionary service at several locations across the North Wiltshire District.

"The viability of such toilets is being investigated. There is currently no money available in the budget to repair or improve the public toilet facility in Wootton Bassett.

"The Area Committee's are allocated money to spend on capital building projects and it would need to be determined that it was a priority for that Area."