A COLCHESTER group is hoping to achieve city status once again... by encouraging people to “twin their toilets”.

Colchester Rotary Club is looking for at least 30 toilets to be donated as part of the Toilet Twinning campaign.

Toilet Twinning is part of the Tear Fund charity, which, for a £60 donation, helps to build a toilet in a community in need.

The charity awards city status to areas where at least 30 toilets are twinned.

Nigel Hildreth, president of the rotary club, said: “We thought what could we do to help celebrate the fact that Colchester has recently become a city? What better way than to help those in real need around the world.”

More than 35,000 toilets have already been “twinned”, but more than 1.7 billion people across the world do not have somewhere safe to go to the toilet.

Mr Hildreth added: “Providing at least 30 toilets will be a very small step in improving the lives of so many people.”

Colchester mayor Tim Young said: “I can’t imagine what life would be like without having a place to go [to the toilet].

“I will be supporting this great initiative and hope you will too.”

More information can be found at www.facebook.com/RotaryinColchesterTT.