DISABLED campaigners are furious after they were left without a single public toilet they could use at night in Blackburn centre.

The last remaining disabled toilet in Ainsworth Street was removed without explanation.

There are disabled toilets in both the shopping centre and the market, but neither are open after 6pm.

Blackburn Disabled Action Group spokesman Fred Thompson said: "It really is unbelievable. I can go to places the size of Darwen, Haslingden, Pilling, Garstang and Fleetwood, all quite small places, but all have facilities for the disabled.

"The toilet in Ainsworth Street has just vanished.

"Blackburn with Darwen Council took over from the county council and said there would be a lot of changes. But things have just got worse.

"For a town the size of Blackburn, which is supposed to be bidding for city status, there needs to be some serious thinking done by the council."

Another action group member, Brian Donnellan, of Layburn Road, Blackburn, said: "This council promised us everything when they took over from Lancashire County Council.

"But the only people who ever get anything are the ones who shout the loudest. Often when we complain about something all that happens is that it gets shelved. "This business with the toilets is just the latest thing to have happened."

Tony Humphrys, chairman of Blackburn with Darwen Council's environment services sub-committee, said: "There are disabled toilet facilities within the shopping centre and the market.

"Our figures show that the toilet in Ainsworth Street was being used, on average, just once per day.

"We have to concentrate our resources on facilities which are used regularly in order to avoid cutting services in other areas and we have a responsibility not only to provide quality services, but also value for money. I believe our services reflect the needs of local people."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.