AN 11th-hour bid has been launched to save public toilets from demolition at a popular beauty spot near Bristol.

The toilets at a picnic area on the A46 next to the M4 have been closed since a sewage machine on the site broke down nearly three years ago.

Since then, portable loos have been provided but these were removed in November.

The picnic area is usually full of cars belonging to ramblers who walk the Cotswold Way nearby.

It is also popular with commuters who use the site to park up and share a lift into Bristol.

But the pressure on space means that cars can often be found in a lane near the Compass Inn.

John Wells, chairman of Tormarton Parish Council, urged South Gloucestershire Council to take steps to save the toilets.

He said there had been reports of people soiling in the hedges, litter at the site, and traffic safety issues because of parking in the nearby lane.

Yet the nearby Cotswold Way attracted ramblers, not just from all parts of the country but from all over the world.

The toilets are owned by the Highways Agency which has decided to demolish them because of the cost of repairs which total £83,000.

The portable loos cost £1,200 a month to provide.

Andrew Roberts, the agency's assets manager, said their role was to manage motorways, not provide toilets in picnic areas and in these times of economic recession, they had to prioritise their resources.

But Councillor Sue Hope, pictured, (Lib Dem, Cotswold Edge) said the site was a strategic one and was ideally located for ramblers and park-and-share commuters.

She called for a cafe to be built on the site and for the picnic car park to be extended.

Members of South Gloucestershire's strategic transport committee agreed that it would be a shame if the toilets were demolished.

But they were not clear where the money could be found to save them or replace them.

Committee chairman Pat Hockey (Lib Dem, Frampton Cotterell) asked the Highways Agency if it would postpone the demolition of the toilets while council officers looked into the matter.

Mr Roberts said he was happy to work with the council on the issue.