Plumber fixes vandalised toilet as Christmas gift

A plumber has fixed a vandalised beach toilet in Cornwall for free as a Christmas gift to the local community.

Daniel Terry, 46, from Based Plumbing and Heating, found out through social media that the ladies' toilet at Widemouth Beach had been broken with a rock.

Mr Terry, who regularly walks on the "beautiful beach" near Bude with his wife, children and dog, said he decided to fix the toilet himself for free to save the parish council and local residents the cost.

He said he wanted to spread some "Christmas spirit" as there was a lot of "gloomy news and weather" around at this time of year.

He also said the rock that had been used to vandalise the loo was "back on the beach where it belongs".

The toilet, by the beach's car park, was damaged earlier this week, according to Poundstock Parish Council, which manages the toilet block.

It came days after a trailer containing £15,000 of surfboards was stolen from the same beach.

Stephen Blake, chair of the council, told the BBC he was "extremely disappointed that this happened in a time when people are counting pennies - the perpetrator should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves".

Mr Blake said earlier this week that replacing the toilet would "not be cheap", adding: "Unfortunately, the cost of incidents like this end up being paid for by residents through increased council tax."

After learning that Mr Terry had replaced the toilet, he said it was "a real Christmas spirit story".

Mr Terry, who moved to the area from Dorset earlier this year, said he wanted to do something to help the "incredible community".

"We're completely smitten with the attitude of the locals," he said.

"I've been totally overwhelmed by the community spirit and how everyone's embraced my family, so it was a no brainer [to help].

"I got the parts from Plumbase in Bude," Mr Terry said, "Mark Jones, the assistant manager, was a legend and heavily discounted them."

He said the work and parts would have cost about £400 if he had been charging commercial rates.

However, Mr Terry said he "wouldn't have dreamed" of charging the council, as he had done free work previously for other organisations such as "Monkey World in Dorset and the falconry park there".

"It's second nature to me," he said.

Despite replacing the toilet without local people having to spend a penny, Mr Terry said the "real gift" had been "the outstanding community spirit and welcome we have felt from locals".

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].