MEN meeting for sex in Bramhope public toilets will be caught on camera in a radical scheme - the first of its kind in West Yorkshire.

Outraged villagers claim the Old Lane toilet block has become an established gay haunt with up to 30 men a night using it for sex.

Residents have catalogued car numbers of regular visitors and say men often leave notes arranging to meet later at night.

Now, in what is being used by community police as a pilot scheme, a warning sign and camera have been installed to deter them.

Sergeant Andy Oddy, of Otley Police, said he was well aware of people's concerns. "We have had complaints from people living nearby and we recognise their worries.

"There have not been any reports of anyone being approached in the toilets themselves though," he said.

Placed at a discrete distance from the toilet block - in a car park between the Robert Craven Memorial Hall and the Fox and Hounds pub - the camera will monitor regular visitors judged to spend unusual lengths of time inside.

"We have looked at all different ways of doing this and if it works, it might be used elsewhere. It's a low-cost, low-profile approach," he said.

"Hopefully residents will be able to tell us if there is a fall in the number of visits. We will judge the scheme's success from the feedback we have from them and the parish council."

Sgt Oddy said police worked with a number of action groups within the gay community to find the best way of preventing the illegal activities in public toilets.

But he stressed the camera was primarily a means of prevention. "Along with the sign it is really there as a deterrent; we're not looking to use it in an underhand way," he said.

Both were installed this week under the watchful eye of Bramhope community constable PC Jon Heys.

He said camera schemes had been used in other places, although not for the same reason. "It's really an extension of that and the sign lets people know we are visiting this car park.

"I hope it will have an effect and we will liaise with residents to see how it works," he said.

Although Bramhope Parish Council has been calling for action for some time, not everyone was convinced of the camera's likely success.

Councillor Geoff Mills was sceptical. "I am one of the councillors who would like to see the toilets closed, so I am not sure whether a camera and a sign will have any real effect," he said.

He was, however, happy to support anything which tried to solve the problem. "There are a number of residents who are keeping an eye on things and we will look at the situation again to see if there is an improvement.

"If not, the campaign to close them will be back again with even more conviction," he said.

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