Plain loo-py

Shocked Pamela Burden today accused contractors of dragging their heels after she kicked up a stink and demanded they shift the unwelcome WC from a nearby grass verge.

She says she was told it was "unacceptable" the loo was ditched so close to her house, allowing road workers to spend a penny yards from her front garden.

Furious Mrs Burden is angry at City of York Council "double standards" - after a neighbour got threatened with court for parking his car on a similar, nearby verge.

Mrs Burden, of Pulleyn Drive, off Tadcaster Road, told the Evening Press the eyesore arrived at the end of last month.

She said: "Contractors working for the council dumped building materials, equipment and a portable toilet on the grass verge outside my front garden.

"I contacted the highways department to complain and was told it was unacceptable to have a loo here and they would get it moved."

But she claims that despite a week spent making several phone calls to the local authority, the lavatory did not budge.

Mrs Burden added: "The council have allowed the contractors to drag their heels and have failed to take any action to force them to comply with their instructions."

Mrs Burden also accused the council of double standards after an incident involving a neighbour's car.

"He parked his car on the grass verge outside his house and promptly received a letter from the council telling him to move it or he would be prosecuted."

She added: "The car was causing far less damage and was certainly more pleasant to look at than what is outside my house."

A council spokeswoman confirmed the offending toilet was removed on Friday.

She said: "The toilet was there because workmen were in the vicinity. There is a legal responsibility to provide these kinds of facilities for people on the site.

"As soon as the work was completed, the toilet was removed."

The spokeswoman, responding to the allegations of "double standards", said it was illegal to park on a grass verge.

Updated: 08:24 Tuesday, May 11, 2004