NEW legislation is needed to stop local councils closing vital public toilets, say campaigners.

The British Toilet Association (BTA) has seized on figures revealing a major decline in the number of conveniences between 2000 and 2004.

They show that the number of toilets in Worcester-shire has fallen from 57 to 53 since the turn of the century. The BTA, a voluntary body campaigning for better facilities in high streets and shopping centres, has accused councils of shutting lavatories to save money. Spokeswoman Cath-erine Murphy said: "We have been calling for a number of years for the Government to bring in legislation placing councils under an obligation to provide toilets.

"Local authorities are using excuses such as vandalism, anti-social behaviour and general misuse to close toilets. It is a serious issue if you are in the middle of a town centre and there is no toilet - and it is particularly serious for people who are elderly, ill or with young children."

The ODPM figures, released to MPs, include conveniences in shopping arcades as well as in high streets across the country.

Authorities have also been hit by the Disability Discrimination Act, introduced earlier this year, which means many facilities have to be modified so they can be used by disabled people.

But an ODPM spokeswoman said: "The provision of public toilets is at the discretion of local authorities."