Long-awaited work to overhaul Otley's Farnley Lane toilets was starting at the weekend - but visitors will have to wait until October to use them.

Leeds City Council has announced that, after a wait of more than a year, the £96,000 revamp of the brick-built toilets at the edge of Wharfemeadows Park will finally start.

But the wait has been described as scandalous by one town councillor who says it is just not good enough.

Councillor Nigel Francis said: "The Council promised the work would be done in time for last summer and now it's not even going to be done for this summer."

The work, which will entail fitting vandal-proof stainless steel fittings and a stainless steel skin inside the conveniences, will take up to two months to finish.

The toilets were closed in June last year after repeated vandalism left them dangerous to use. Leeds Council agreed to renovate the toilets and even considered installing an attendant - and promised to have them open again in time for last year's busy summer season.

It repeated its promise this year but says regrettable delays have meant the work has had to be put off.

A Council spokeswoman said: "In the meantime, the Council's arrangements with the owner of Springwell Cafe in Wharfemeadows Park continue to allow the public the use of toilets there."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.