Passengers on a Sussex train service found every lavatory out of order.

Many travelling on the 6.30pm Southern service from London Victoria to Littlehampton on Friday had un uncomfortable trip.

Anyone who needed a toilet had to leave the 12-carriage train and break their journey at stations along the way.

Brighton and Hove city councillor Craig Turton was commuting home from the capital and said that not only was every disabled toilet out of order, but the manual locking loos were close to overflowing, making them unusable.

He added that since the introduction of the Electrostar rolling stock by Southern there had been a gradual breakdown of the disabled toilets on the London to Brighton line.

The council transport leader said: "On Friday the disabled toilet in the second front carriage was out of order. An official note on the door stated it was out of order and a biro comment noted that this was on April 16. Subsequent biro comments noted that it was still out of order on all dates to May 5.

"All other toilets on the train, disabled or otherwise, indicated by the flashing engaged sign that they were also out of order.

"I observed the frustration of parents with children and other adults either having to interrupt their journey and get off the train to use the toilet or cope with toilets in which waste was on the brink of overflowing to the floor. This is not an irregular occurrence.

"What if you are an elderly person, or you have a child who tells you they need the toilet at the last minute? If you were in a wheelchair you would not be able to get into the non-disabled loo.

"The people I was travelling with were furious."

Last year The Argus reported problems with toilets becoming blocked on the Electrostar trains, which led to them automatically locking.

A spokesman for Southern trains apologised and added: "We have started an investigation as to why this train was not up to the high standards of service that we have set ourselves."