PEOPLE in Milverton were left feeling rather flushed after a toilet suddenly appeared in the village phone box in February 2015.

Though some villagers were quick to reel off a chain of lavatorial puns, a local councillor believed the mystery person behind the stunt

could have had a serious message in mind because Milverton’s public toilets were about to be shut.

Taunton Deane Council was planning to close the toilets at the recreation ground and in the village itself at the end of March.

Somerset County Gazette:

The parish council and recreation ground committee were working together in the hope of keeping the toilets near the newly revamped play area open off Butts Way, and negotiations were ongoing about the parish council taking on responsibility for the toilets in the village in Fore Street.

Cllr Gwil Wren, who represented Milverton on Taunton Deane Council, said he could see the funny side of the toilet in the phone box at Houndsmoor, but said he was growing more concerned about the planned toilet closures.

“I’m hoping this gets sorted out as quickly as possible because having no public toilets is just not on,” he said.

“People may think that whoever put the toilet in the phone box is round the bend but I know people are upset about the loss of Milverton’s public toilets, so this is a novel way of highlighting the issue.

“I’m keen to get Taunton Deane to change its mind, and I hope this proves to be the start of a serious campaign and not just a flash in the pan.”

Cllr Wren said he did not know the identity of the ‘wag’ who put the toilet in the phone box but said somebody had thrown a coin into it as their way of ‘spending a penny’.