THEY'RE used to being panned. But council chiefs were flushed with rare success today - after York's public toilets were hailed among the country's best.

A survey by a national magazine ranked the city's conveniences alongside those found in posh shops like Harrods and John Lewis.

The toilet roll call emerged in the bizarrely-titled National Tea and Wee Survey, carried out by Yours, a magazine for over-50s.

The results were based on a reader survey, and criteria included cleanliness, whether loos were staffed, cost and queues.

The study says the majority of public conveniences in Britain have gone down the pan, and brands them a "disgrace".

But York makes a surprise splash in the magazine's toilet Top Ten, nestling between Debenhams and Winchester.

Harrods came up trumps, with John Lewis and Marks & Spencer claiming silver and gold.

They were closely followed by Worthing seafront, Mumbles promenade, in Wales, and beach WCs at Weston-Super-Mare.

The worst toilets in Britain, according to Yours, were found beside the seaside. Blackpool, Brighton, Bognor, Bristol bus station and Newquay all kicked up a stink in the survey.

A City of York Council spokesman today said the authority was thrilled to have won high praise.

She added: "We are delighted to be named in the top ten, especially among such prestigious company as Harrods.

"Although we do strive to provide good toilet facilities for both residents and visitors to the city, there is always room for improvement.

"Our aim, therefore, is to progressively improve our standards."

Councillor Andrew Waller, executive member for environment, said cleaning had been increased at city sites and some had been refitted.

York's toilets are visited by four million people a year.

Coun Waller added: "We are not claiming we have all the answers because we recognise there are still a few complaints.

"But it's good to have an independent organisation do this kind of audit."

The survey also found that six out of ten public loos in the UK were a "dirty health hazard".

Bugbears were lack of loo paper, wet floors, no soap or towels and broken door handles.

Yours editor Valery McConnell said: "It seems ridiculous that we make a huge fuss about unclean conditions in hospitals - and rightly so - yet put up with disgusting conditions in public toilets that are a serious health hazard to all who use them."

She said many women now carry a supply of tissues and disinfectant wet wipes in their handbag, assuming public loos will be dirty and have no toilet paper, soap or running water.

Not so convenient

An Evening Press survey in May revealed that York's conveniences were plumbing the depths for quality and cleanliness.

Reporters visiting seven city centre loos found their overall quality was poor as problems included graphic sexual graffiti, bad smells and rubbish over the floor.

But we found the general picture was cleaner than when we carried out a similar study two years ago. Though vandalised doors and broken soap holders still let the city down, we found that at the Museum Garden WCs - previously branded a "stench-ridden dumping ground" - there had been huge improvements.

Meanwhile, the cost of spending a penny in York is set to double for women using toilets in the city centre.

Charges to use lavatories in Coppergate and Parliament Street will rise from 10p to 20p, to cover the cost of an improved cleaning service.

Updated: 12:10 Thursday, June 23, 2005