AN ANDOVER mum whose young son suffers from a debilitating bowel condition says she is “over the moon” that a specialist toilet will be built in the town centre.

Amy Attrill, whose son Kane suffers from severe constipation and bowel impaction, had been in talks with Test Valley Borough Council who have agreed to build a fully accessible toilet and changing facility in Andover which is predicted to make a difference to hundreds of people with disabilities.

The Changing Places facility will be located in the Unity office, near to the bus station, and will include changing benches and hoists.

It will be the first facility of its kind provided by the borough council in the town and will be much larger than a standard disabled facility to help accommodate one or two carers.

Amy submitted a petition to the council, which had attracted almost 2,000 supporters, as she struggled to find suitable facilities to change her son when away from home.

Amy said: “I am over the moon that the council has agreed to install another Changing Places facility in the town. They were keen to understand how they could best help those with complex disabilities and I am pleased that we have been able to work together to deliver a new facility that will really benefit our son and others with similar needs.

“The Unity office provides the perfect location as it is so close to the bus station, so I am really pleased they have agreed to put it there. I would also like to say a big thank you to Chris Dixon and Cat Randle from Mencap as they have been a great support from the very beginning.”

Leader of Test Valley Borough Council, councillor Phil North, said: “I am grateful to Amy for bringing this to the council’s attention and I am delighted that we have been able to take forward plans to deliver this new facility in the town.”

Cllr North added that those in need will be able to “access safe and hygienic facilities without suffering the indignity of having to change, or be changed, on a toilet floor again.”

Chris Dixon, CEO from Mencap, commented: “We have supported this campaign led by Amy from the beginning and we are so pleased that she has realised the very thing she set out to achieve. This Changing Places facility in the centre of town will be accessible to many individuals, families and carers, many of whom have complex needs. It will make an incredible difference to those with additional needs and their families’ experience of shopping in the town centre. Well done to Amy and Test Valley Borough Council for bringing Andover this new facility and to Unity for agreeing to be a Changing Places partner.”

Unity chief executive, Terry Bishop, added: “We regularly come into contact with people who will benefit from this type of facility through our mobility and transport services, so we are delighted that we will be able to accommodate it at the Unity office.”

Another mum who has welcomed the announcement is Donna Jackson, whose four-year-old girl Frankie wears nappies and feared that without fully accessible changing facility she would soon have to change her daughter on a bathroom floor.

“It is amazing news, it just means that I won’t dread going into town anymore as we will have that facility and that may be the same for others,” Donna said.

Plans for the toilet will be submitted later this month with a view that work will start in October, subject to approval.

And Places for People is also set to install an additional Changing Places toilet in the new Andover Leisure Centre.