DOZENS of children chuckled yesterday as they looked at 21 colourful toilets designed by well-known artists.

The children were then asked to use clay to create their own versions, at the unusual workshop, which formed part of a fun day at the Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, where the artistic, full sized WCs, all made in Sweden, are being exhibited.

Lisa Jeffries, education officer at the museum, decided on the project as a way of interest the children, who made small models to take home.

Mel Todd, a visual artist who supervised their efforts, said, "Children can get more fun from making toilets, and putting their own design ideas into them, than making things like plates or mugs. They did a lot of interesting work."

Michael Colling, nine, of Darlington, said: "I've made other pottery items before, but never one of these. It is really interesting."

More than 60 children took part. They also made paper dolls, set out marquetry and tried abstract painting.

The day was intended to provide an incentive for them to want to keep visiting museums in later life.

Toilets in the exhibition, called Are You Sitting Comfortably? were made by leading artists at a sanitary ware factory near Stockholm.