WOMEN had to use men's loos as the number of weekend visitors to Stourport overwhelmed the town's toilet facilities.

Queues tailing back from the women's facilities highlighted "a spectacular failure" in Wyre Forest's toilet provision, according to a councillor.

Relief could be in sight, however, with the prospect of a major overhaul of the district's public toilets moving a step closer, with councillors being asked to come up with costings for a scheme.

As part of a review of the area's conveniences - also intended to reduce vandalism - councillors visited Evesham, which has prize-winning, state-of-the-art loos following a 10-year improvement plan.

A report to the executive committee of Wyre Forest District Council from Councillor Anthony Greenfield, chairman of the community life scrutiny committee which undertook the review, said the key to Evesham's success had been the decision to opt for toilet attendants.

He added that this resulted in vandals staying away and the reduction in the cost of the damage caused by vandalism actually paid for the attendant service.

Other measures in Evesham included a simplified design of toilet buildings. Vandal-proof fittings had also led to the success of the Evesham scheme.

Mr Greenfield said: "Evesham is very similar to us, especially to Stourport and Bewdley, which rely on tourism centring on a river.

"If we are going to spend money attracting tourists to these towns we need to get the infrastructure right and that means upgrading the toilets."

Councillor Jill Fairbrother-Millis said that in Stourport over the weekend of April 24-25 there had been a high number of visitors to the town, meaning long queues formed for the toilets. This had resulted in women having to use the men's urinals.

She said: "It was like a scene from Clochemerle.* It reflected badly on the district council, highlighting to visitors its spectacular failure to provide sufficient clean, hygienic and accessible toilets."

Mr Greenfield said: "We suggest this council looks at a 10-year plan based on the Evesham model."

Councillor Ken Stokes, however, said that whatever action was taken, vandals would find a way to cause damage.

Chairman of the executive committee and leader of the council, Howard Martin, asked Mr Greenfield's committee to come back with some fully costed proposals for improvements.

He said: "This is going to be a major issue over the next year. We are going to have to look at how to make some sensible budget commitments."

* Clochemerle was a satirical 1934 novel by Gabriel Chevallier about a French town mayor whose plans to build a public urinal in the centre of the town brought him into conflict with local church leaders.