Vandals caiuse £2000 damage to toilets

The block on Buckhurst Place next to Sainsbury's had only just undergone a 5,000 refurbishment but it's now been put out of action again by arsonists.

Rother project manager Rod Waite who's responsible for all 38 toilet blocks across the district, said even metal grilles across the front of the toilets had failed to stop the attacks which are costing the council thousands of pounds.

He's now warning that the spiralling cost of repairing the damage could end up with some of the blocks being closed down.

"We're finding it rather expensive to keep them up. Negotiations are ongoing as to whether we keep some of them open," he added.

The latest attack happened during the early hours of last Thursday morning when flames spread from burning cardboard boxes outside the ladies toilets. It's still unclear whether they were thrown in deliberately.

"The heat melted the perspex skylight and all the light fittings.

"Fortunately the cubicles themselves are metal," said Mr Waite.

It's expected the gents and disabled toilet will be back in action by this weekend but repairs to the ladies which bore the brunt of the fire are expected to last another couple of weeks.

Police are investigating exactly how the blaze started.