A petition was launched a fortnight ago to save the Market Hall public toilet in Harborough town centre from closure but the Tory-run Harborough Council voted the move through on Thursday night.

As reported in last week's Mail, Harborough District Council wanted to close the toilets at the side of the Market Hall, in Northampton Road, as well as four others across the district in a bid to save £50,000 a year in maintenance costs.

The plans were approved by the council's executive committee earlier this month and were ratified at the meeting of full council on Thursday.

The proposal has met with opposition from many people, who feel the toilet is a valuable community facility.

Cllr Barbara Johnson, member for Great Bowden and Arden Ward, organised a petition against the plans which was signed by more than 800 people.

She is now calling for a campaign to save the loos and the director of the British Toilet Association has backed the plight.

Read this Thursday's Mail for more deatils.

The four other toilets to be closed are at Great Bowden Rec, George Street in Lutterworth and Orchard Road in Broughton Astley.

Parish councils were offered the chance to take over running of the toilets.

Toilets in the Commons car park, Little Bowden Rec and Welland Park are unaffected.

However Cllr Johnson says having only one public toilet in the town centre would be insufficient to meet demand on busy shopping days or during big town events such as Harborough Carnival or Arts Fresco.