ON September 19, I was in the Arndale Centre in Nelson and had a need, not urgent, to go to the toilet.

The time was 5.15pm. On reaching the toilet, I found it locked, as did two other gentlemen who, apparently, were 'dying to go.'

There was no indication of the opening times. I asked a security person why they were closed and he said they were closed every day at 4pm as this was when the children came out of school.

He intimated that they ripped up the seats, set fire to the toilet paper and stuffed foreign objects down the pan.

I asked him why he did not present a 'presence' to deter such vandalism. But he looked at me in wonderment and said it was more than his life was worth.

If this is a fact, it is a sad reflection on the people of the town and on Pendle Council in particular.

JOHN ROWAN, Devonshire Road, Bispham, Blackpool.

Footnote: Nelson Arndale Centre manager Arthur Dickinson said: "We realise we should have indicated more clearly the opening times of the toilets. Since this episode, we have put up a clear notice at the toilets entrance to tell people the opening times."

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