VISITORS to a coastal beauty spot in the North-East could not wait to spend a penny in an £85,000 superloo.

The 24-hour toilet, in a car park at Crimdon Dene, near Hartlepool, is said to be fully automatic, vandal proof, and can even clean itself.

In fact, if there are any problems it phones the company that made it. The loo reports any faults.

Which is just as well. Because, despite the cost, there is nothing very super about this superloo - it has not worked for weeks.

The temperamental toilet was ordered by Easington District Council and shipped across from France where it was built.

Local residents say it has been out of action for as long as two months, having been delivered in June.

When The Northern Echo visited, a sign on the entrance read: "This toilet facility is closed and awaiting conection. (sic)"

A spokeswoman for the council said: "There have been some teething problems.

"The technology is so advanced that it actually phones the company that manufactured it and reports any faults.

"It has reported a problem, but we are not quite sure yet what this is."

The spokeswoman said she believed the loo had been operational since the end of last month and had only been out of action for a couple of days.

But one resident said: "I can guarantee that it has never been open since the day it was plonked down there because I walk the dog past it every day.

"To spend £85,000 on it and put it there is amazing as well. There are a few people around here in the summer, but most days there's hardly a soul about."

The toilet, which costs 10p to use, is fully accessible to adults, children and disabled. It also has baby changing facilities.

For the claustrophobic, its safety features are said to mean it is almost impossible to get stuck inside.

Councillor Alphonsus Jordan Holmes, who represents Blackhalls on Easington District Council, said he was unaware of any problems with the superloo, but was dismayed to learn it was out of action.

He said: "Crimdon is part of our heritage coast trail and visitors have got to have a toilet down there.

"It is of great concern to me if this is not open and working as these things cost a lot of money."