CAMPAIGNERS fighting the closure of Waltham Forest’s last remaining public toilets are furious the facility has been shut down before they had the opportunity to put their case to councillors.

The toilets in Albert Crescent, Chingford Mount, were locked on Sunday (September 12) after the council confirmed its closure last week.

A group of women have been spearheading a campaign to save the facility, saying it is highly valued by shoppers, especially the elderly who do not feel comfortable visiting loos in local pubs and takeaways.

Despite the setback, the group have vowed to fight on and have threatened to stage a sit-in protest to prevent the council from knocking the building down.

The council says it can no longer afford to meet the toilet’s running costs, which it says are £90,000 a year.

But protesters argue the authority has been wasting money on other projects and should make savings elsewhere.

Campaigner Patricia Brannagan, of Hampton Road, said: "Everyone is outraged. We feel so strongly about this we had to come down here. We're not going to give up.

"Lots of people walking past didn't know the toilets had closed and they were just as angry as us this morning.

"There is a huge strength of feeling about this - the councillors can't just hide away and avoid us, however much they try."

Cllr Clyde Loakes, cabinet member for the environment, said the decision to close the toilets was made with a “heavy heart”.

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