A COMPOST toilet will be the star attraction when York's Labour MP visits city allotments today.

Hugh Bayley, will be pulling on his boots to see the improvements brought about by members of the Hempland Lane and Heworth Allotment Association.

Mr Bayley said: "Fresh fruit and vegetables are good for your health and many people want to grow their own produce, so there has been a revival of interest in allotments.

"A few years ago, this site was overgrown, but now there is a waiting list for allotments. Lots of the allotments are gardened by parents with young children, quite a different image to the one many people still hold of allotments."

Daphne Brinklow, association secretary, was today showing Mr Bayley around the allotments.

The association was formed in 2003, and soon cleared up its overgrown, vandal-ridden site.

Since then, members have fitted gates, laid out car parking and put up notice boards.

They have even refurbished an old railway carriage, which is now used to sell gardening goods and surplus produce.

The association has also won grants to establish a wetland wildlife area and construct plots specially designed for disabled gardeners, with much of the construction work carried out by the Community Payback Teams.

More recently, the association won £7,160 to create an environmentally-friendly compost toilet.

Such toilets create a very useful product that can be used to return nutrients to soil.

Mr Bayley said: "The association has a strong commitment to the environment and they have done well to win Lottery funding for a compost toilet.

"The association works hard to be inclusive.

"The plots for disabled people were created last year and are a valued part of the site.

"Many different groups use the allotments and it is great that local schools, Scout groups, the Probation Service and families can all share their enthusiasm with fellow gardeners."