A COUNTY Councillor is due to appear at Blackburn Magistrates this month charged with attempted gross indecency in a public toilet.

John Howard Eccles, of Casterton Avenue, Burnley, is a serving county councillor for the Burnley rural area.

He retired from Burnley Council at last year's May elections after serving Fulledge ward for eight years.

Blackburn Inspector Steve Haworth said: "There was an alleged offence of attempted gross indecency in public lavatories in Whalley on July 7, 1998."

County Coun Eccles is due to appear on March 24 at Blackburn.

County Coun Eccles was chairman of the civilian committee of Burnley's Air Training Corps and chairman of the governors at Primrose Hill Special School and a governor at Brunshaw nursery and Towneley High School.

He serves on Lancashire county's education committee, as well as libraries and public protection committees.

He is a member of Burnley Community Health Council patient watchdog body, the Council for Voluntary Service, the local Police and Community Forum and Burnley Society for the Blind.

County Coun Eccles ran a confectionary shop in Lyndhurst Road until he retired.

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