A NEW £200,000 toilet block has been opened at a Highbridge school which is named after a 16th century Somerset resident who invented the world’s first flushing toilet.

The Sir John Harington toilets were officially opened at The King Alfred School Academy by students, staff, Cllr Mike Facey, Mayor of Burnham and Highbridge Town Council, and Cllr Peter Clayton, chairman of Sedgemoor District Council on Monday (October 5).

The state-of-the-art 16 cubicle toilets are kitted out with futuristic hand washing facilities, Dyson dryers and ceiling-driven heating.

They were named after Sir John Harrington, a well-known Somerset figure who made history by inventing the first ever toilet flush and even used it at his own Manor House in the county.

Principal Nathan Jenkins said “We have been talking about this for two years since we joined The Priory Learning Trust. We want to give the students an environment which is nice, where they feel valued and like they belong. It shows we put students first and that they are at the heart of everything we do.

“We also wanted to honour a former Somerset resident who has quite simply made history by being the first person ever to invent a flushing toilet.”

Sir John was also a courtier to Queen Elizabeth the 1st as well as an author and translator.

His flushing toilet was called the Ajax which was then a slang word for toilet. It was forerunner to the modern flush toilet, had a flush valve to let water out of the tank, and a wash-down design to empty the bowl.

Cllr Mike Facey, a former TKASA student and a plumber by trade, said: “I’m so pleased to be invited back to my old school to open this new, modern, state of the art toilet block which looks absolutely amazing.

"It is named after a very famous person who became knighted and who was from Somerset. This will be an asset to the building.”

Students and staff were full of praise for the new facilities with the school's head of history, Martyn Ellis, saying the school now has 'a toilet block to be truly proud of.'

Student Darragh said: “These toilets are hotel grade and fantastic. The history of them is significant with Sir John a Somerset man who invented the flush”