PUBLIC toilets in Abertillery have been reopened three years after they were forced to close after a businessman offered to maintain them.

Blaenau Gwent council was forced to shut all the public toilets in the borough in 2013, including toilets in Brynmawr, Tredegar, Abertillery and Blaina, because of funding cuts.

Since then three of the borough’s toilets in Ebbw Vale, Tredegar and Brynmawr have now reopened thanks to private tenders - and now Abertillery is the latest to follow suit.

Local businessman Ross Edwards and his wife Anne were behind the successful bid when Blaenau Gwent council tried to find a person or group to come forward with a plan to sustain the toilets.

Following refurbishment work by the council to replace the heating system, pipework and damaged ceilings caused by vandalism, the toilets have reopened.

Mr Edwards, who is also a local community councillor, said: "My wife and I both run businesses in the town and we were aware that a lot of people, especially those with children and elderly people, were put off from coming to town because there were no public toilets and they did not want to use the facilities in local pubs.

"We want Abertillery to be a vibrant busy town and so decided to put ourselves forward to run the toilets. Now they are open and it’s going really well, we’ve had lots of kind comments from people grateful that they are available to use.

“I would like to thank Wayne Hodgins and Tracey West, who have re-opened the toilets in Brynmawr and Ebbw Vale respectively, for all their help and advice and thanks also to Abertillery and Llanhilleth Town Council for their support.”

David White, Blaenau Gwent council’s executive member for corporate services and strategy, said: "We recognise that the toilets are a very important facility for the public but the past few years has seen the council had to make some very tough and often unpopular decisions about services in the light of decreasing funding.

"This has meant that we have been unable to continue to provide all services ourselves but we have been keen to work more closely with our communities and enable them to take ownership of facilities such as the toilets which is benefitting local people.”