The much criticised toilets at Brighton Station have been nominated as one of the best loos in the country.

The dark toilets underneath the station, which have constantly been criticised by passengers, have been nominated for the Railtrack award.

One commuter said the toilets were: "Warm, clean, and open all the hours you need them."

Another comment added: "Well done to everyone who keeps them that way."

Railtrack insists the nomination is genuine and they have not got their lines crossed and put forward the wrong station.

There have been dozens of letters to the Argus complaining about the toilets in recent months. Many regular travellers, especially females, refuse to use them.

Shelley Atlas, chair of Brighton Line Commuters, laughed when told of the nomination.

She said: "Someone must be having a joke or Railtrack must have got the station muddled up.There is no way the toilets should have been nominated or even considered for the award.

"They are dark, smelly and virtually in a dungeon under the station. They are awful. I have heard nothing about a rapid recent improvement."

A spokesman for Railtrack said: "There is a genuine nomination for them to be considered for the Loveliest Loo Award. We have not got Brighton muddled up with somewhere else."

The toilets with the most nominations will be visited by judges from Rotary International in the next three months. The three finalists will then receive a second inspection before the winner is announced on October 24.

If you think Brighton deserves the Loveliest Loo Award, voting forms can be obtained at local stations.

You can also vote on www.railtrack.co.uk/station of the year.

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