The Westbury High Street toilets have been closed following weeks of vandalism.

Minor damage to the toilets in the high street car park was tolerated by Westbury Town Council until finally one of the cubical doors was ripped from its hinges, triggering a police investigation and the closure of the toilets.

A Westbury Town Council Facebook post from November 28 says: “During the last few weeks there has been ongoing minor damage that the town council has been able repair at a reasonable cost, however a week ago one of the cubicle doors was removed from its hinges.

“Although removed from its hinges, the door was left propped up in the frame, which meant when a member of the public went to use the facilities, the door fell towards them.

“Thankfully, the member of the public was not injured, this could have been a very serious incident.

“The police have been informed and there is CCTV footage.

“Until the police investigation has been completed the High Street toilets will remain closed, however they will open for the Christmas event on 3rd December.

It added: “The Warminster Road toilets are open. Westbury Town Council currently lease the public toilets from Wiltshire Council, this agreement ends in April 2023.

“The town council will decide if they are going to keep them and invest in a refurbishment or hand them back to Wiltshire Council.

“This is a difficult choice to make when mindless vandalism continues to ruin a much-used town asset.”

Town Clerk Deborah Urch added: “The people I’ve spoken to are angry and worried.

“Unfortunately, the problem with the public toilets is that they are at end of life so replacing parts is really expensive.

“One of the other neighbouring parishes has recently replaced their door to the cost of £5000.

“The police are continuing to investigate it. They are looking at the CCTV they have been given and they are trying to identify the youngsters involved.

“It’s been going on a couple of weeks, maybe longer. A member of the public contacted me today and said for over a year now her mum has been reporting it. But we haven’t been aware of it for a year, we only know of weeks.

“Her mum was also saying there were a group of lads constantly climbing on a shop front and their behaviour has now escalated to banging on windows and breaking the public toilets.

“Several complaints have gone to the councillors.”