Graffiti vandals trash town’s public toilets

A huge public outcry followed the announcement that the toilets in Station Road, Mirfield, would shut at the end of March.

They were saved when the town council stumped up thousands of pounds to cover the cost of keeping them open.

But on Sunday, troublemakers responded by spraying the letters “FDG” all over the toilet walls in bright green paint.

Coun Andrew White, who has been locking, unlocking and tidying the toilets since they were first threatened with closure last year, said: “It’s probably just youngsters. They find it funny but there isn’t the money to sort it out. Hopefully somebody will recognise the tags and come forward.” He said that as well as the graffiti, damage had also been done to the walls themselves.

“It will clean off and the damage is repairable,” he said, “but it’s sickening.

“We don’t have the funding to deal with things like this.”

It is thought the damage was done on Sunday and local police community support officers were informed on Tuesday.

A police spokesman said: “It was mentioned in passing to local officers who have conducted some initial investigations.”

The town council now plans to look at ways to prevent the toilets becoming a target for vandals again in future, but putting in floral displays or creating spaces for advertising.

“We need to prevent this sort of thing happening again,” Coun White said. “There is a stigma with buildings like this but if we do the opposite and make them look presentable and nice hopefully it will stop it happening again.”