RESIDENTS are backing a campaign to reopen public toilets on Roanhead beach after revealing they have seen visitors urinating in public since they closed.

The formerly council-run toilets at Roanhead have been closed for some time after the ownership was transferred from Barrow Council to the National Trust.

Residents added their voices to that of Dalton councillor Ann Thurlow who fears the situation will get worse in the run up to the summer, where warmer weather means more visitors.

Cllr Thurlow, who sits on Dalton Town Council, said: ''I've been pressing the council but there seems to be a bit of a problem.

''There just not getting on and sorting it out the transfer of the toilets. I don't know why. It's getting to a pretty critical stage.''

The National Trust have already taken over the surrounding car park and are taking care of the Sandscale dunes to support local wildlife.

However, Cllr Thurlow said the lack of facilities is having an adverse affect for the people that live there.

She said: ''The Trust have already put some effort and money into the area.

"We have enough problems with people leaving their dogs' mess, we don't need humans doing it too.''

The Mail published a letter about the topic by David and Janet Fellows from, Ulverston.

It said: ''Have we really become so hard up that little “conveniences” are too great a luxury?'

"Unless the National Trust has money to maintain or renew them or funds can be found from somewhere, a new generation of students will no longer be free to discover all that Sandscale Hawes has to offer.''

The National Trust said they are keep to re-open the facilities.

Katie Dellaca, spokesman for the National Trust, said: ''We realise how important these facilities are for visitors, so we have been taking steps to lease the toilets from the council who have unfortunately had to close them due to funding shortages.

''We’re looking forward to getting the toilets at Sandscale National Nature Reserve back up and running.

"The timeframes for this aren’t up to us, but we’re doing everything we can.''

Barrow Council officer Keith Johnson said the council's property team were preparing paperwork to transfer ownership to be agreed by the National Trust.

"The council hopes to have this matter resolved in the near feature," he said.

There is currently no set date for the opening of the toilets but the council and National Trust are working hard to re-open them.