TV VIEWERS are used to having Fish telling them the weather -- but the people of Layton will soon have their very own fishy forecaster.

The firm currently refurbishing Blackpool's toilets, Danfo, has tracked down a fish-shaped weather vane, which proudly stood above the clock tower at the Layton Square public toilets for many years.

The company has already managed to get the clock working again, and were able to find the mysterious weather vane in a council warehouse at Stanley Park.

"A lady approached me and said how happy she was that we had made sure the clock was working again," said John Alderin, Danfo's UK managing director.

"Then she said it was a shame about the fish still being missing, so we decided to do all we possibly could to find the old fish-shaped weather vane and put it back up."

"The fish is apparently a plaice or at least a flatfish of some sort, but, to be perfectly honest, it looks more like a dolphin. I am sure it will look great when it's back up on top of the clock tower."

The Layton work is part of a £2.75m development to install a network of 'super loos' across the resort as part of a partnership between Danfo and Blackpool Borough Council.

Layton ward councillor, Sue Wright, a member of Blackpool Borough Council's executive, said: "It's terrific news that the weather vane is being restored as many people living in the area still remember it from years gone by."

"The council is determined to give the public quality, cleanliness and convenience, but Danfo has gone above and beyond this in Layton and put a great deal of effort into restoring original features such as the clock and fish weather vane."

The toilet building was first built in 1932 as a tram shelter with public toilets, designed by John Charles Robinson, who designed many of the municipal buildings of the time.

However, the thinking behind the unusual weather-vane remains a mystery.

Local historian, Ted Lightbrown, said: "The only reason I can think of for the fish-shaped weather vane is that the shelter is very similar to one erected by Blackpool Corporation in 1924 as a tram shelter at Ash Street, Fleetwood (demolished in the war).

" That, too, had a fish."