A WORCESTER pensioner says that she feels unable to visit her son's grave due to the lack of facilities at the cemetery.

Christine Downe says she no longer feels able to visit her son in St John's cemetery as there are no toilets in the grounds.

She said: "I find it disgusting really.

"I was reading the Worcester News and noticed the story about Astwood Cemetery and thought it's about time that St John's cemetery was sorted out now.

"They closed the toilets ages ago and now they are only open to the groundsmen, but what about the relatives?

"My husband and I used to like going down in the summer to be near our son for a few hours, but we just can't do it anymore.

"The closest toilet is the pub down the road, which is a long old walk. I have heard of people having accidents before getting there, it's humiliating."

St John's County Councillor, Richard Udall, said he is hopeful the toilets will be reopened, but the city council have not confirmed their return.

Cllr Udall said: "We need to find a way to return public toilets to St John's Cemetery, they were initially closed due to vandalism; but we can look at imaginative ways to re-open them.

"The city council is currently looking at improving facilities for both those employed and for people visiting St John's Cemetery and I have asked for public toilets to be included in that work, the request is currently being assessed and costed.

"I remain hopeful that we will soon be able to re-introduce the toilets, maybe with restricted access, only with a RADAR Disabled Toilet Key; which will allow disabled people with a special key to use the toilets safely".

"St John's Cemetery is an important facility in St John's and is valued and respected by most residents; we need to make sure the site is visitor friendly without compromising on safety and security, public toilets are needed, and they will allow people to visit and spend more hours paying respects and tending to the graves of loved ones.

"I hope we will soon be able to confirm the re-opening of the toilets and I will certainly continue to campaign for an improved provision of services at the cemetery."

A Worcester City Council spokesman said: “Like many cemeteries across the UK, St John’s does not currently offer toilets and other facilities.

"The feedback we receive from visitors to the site is largely positive but we sympathise with residents who do find this to be off-putting, and we are keeping the situation under review.”