People caught short in North Herts could head to one of three award-winning lavatories, after they were awarded accolades for their cleanliness.

North Hertfordshire District Council cleaned up at the Loo of the Year Awards, as Fish Hill in Royston, Howard Park Gardens in Letchworth, and The Arcade in Hitchin were each awarded platinum certificates for their sparkling loos.

The awards are a recognised national standard for public conveniences, and competition is high to win as certificates are only awarded to the best public toilets in the UK.

The district council’s public toilets are centrally placed in Royston, Letchworth and Hitchin, and receive thousands of visitors each year.

Regular maintenance to the toilets is carried out by Swedish firm Danfo, who work with the district council to keep the facilities in good working order.

Sanitation supervisor Ndudi Umeh carries out the day-to-day cleaning on behalf of Danfo.

Councillor Michael Weeks, NHDC’s executive member for waste management, said: “We are really pleased that our public conveniences have won these awards.

“They are an important part of the visitor experience to our towns and we work very hard to make sure they are a pleasant experience for all who visit.

“Our thanks go out to Ndudi, who works tirelessly to keep them spotless and pristine for those who use the facilities.”