BRIDPORT'S town hall toilets have been saved from closure with town councillors pledging to take the facilities on.

The toilets were due to close on April 1 next year after West Dorset District Council withdrew funding. But floods of letters to the Bridport News and councillors have helped highlight demand for the toilets which are claimed to be the most used in the district.

Some 2,000 people signed a petition urging councillors to keep them open and West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin backed the campaign.

But hopes of a U-turn were dashed when district officials ruled out any possibility of them continuing to maintain the loos - even with funding provided by the town council which owns the building. They say the toilets are sub-standard and would cost too much to put right.

At a meeting of the full council on Tuesday town councillors agreed to take on the running of the toilets subject to budget reviews for the next financial year.

Coun Martin Ray said: "What we are doing is reversing the decision taken by West Dorset District Council. "Probably we can only do this for a couple of years, until we get the town hall refurbishment sorted, but I am against letting the toilets rot away for a couple of years. We should keep them going.

"It is quite an historic decision taking back something from West Dorset District Council and I hope we can take the car parks next."

But councillors were eager not to let West Dorset District Council off the hook completely and have vowed to carry on the fight for improvements and financial support.

Coun Tony Tiltman said: "It is important we try and keep the toilets open as long as possible and in the mean time we can try and negotiate with the district council to get the toilets replaced."

Coun Charles Wild said: "This is subject to the budget review of 2005-2006 and in light of that it is important to negotiate with the district council in trying to make sure that if we take the running of these over it doesn't cost the tax payer more than it has in the past."

Coun Carole Murless said: "What services are we going to cut next year to pay for the toilets?

"That is what worries me. We need to keep the pressure on. It is their legal obligation to run toilets and not the town council's and this could open the flood gates for them to pass other things on to us."