A FINAL attempt is to be made to halt the closure of public toilets in the Esk Valley.

Local councillors intend to lobby a Scarborough Borough Council Cabinet meeting which will decide the fate of the conveniences.

The council wants to close three of the four public loos in the Danby and Castleton area.

Danby parish council is resisting the scheme, claiming the toilets are needed because the area is hugely popular with tourists and walkers.

The parish has already decided against a Scarborough plan for local people to take over the running of the facilities, arguing proper care was not possible on the funding which was on offer.

At a meeting of the parish council, chairman Herbert Tindall said borough councillors had hired a bus and toured every public loo in the area. He said it had been observed that one of the local loos had not used a single toilet roll during last summer.

Councillor Rita Rudsdale was stunned. She said foot-and-mouth was the reason for the lack of use.