A leading architect has attacked the state of the toilets at Brighton station, branding them "absolutely disgusting".

Lord Richard Rogers, the darling of the new Labour Government, designed the Millennium Dome and Paris's Pompidou Centre.

His comments about the WCs at Brighton station came in a wide-ranging interview on the state of public buildings in Britain.

He said he was so incensed he penned a letter to Brighton and Hove City Council leader Ken Bodfish.

Lord Rogers, 69, who is dyslexic, said the letter of complaint was only the fifth he had penned in his life.

He said: "It was ghastly. There was no mirror and you had to wee in a trough and it was absolutely disgusting. This is one of the most beautiful cities in Britain. It's fabulous.

"I just thought it's going to cost about 50p to solve this, to put a mirror up. This is the fourth richest nation in the world, you know."

Lord Rogers, a personal friend of Tony Blair, revealed he did get a swift response from the council leader after mailing his letter last year.

However, the reply was not illuminating.

Lord Rogers said: "He wrote back saying it was the responsibility of Railtrack."

Train operator South Central is responsible for the running and the upkeep of the toilets and leases them from Network Rail, which took over from Railtrack.

A spokesman said: "We accept the toilets in Brighton station are not good. They are totally in the wrong place and we will close them as part of the Brighton station development, which has now been given the go-ahead after years of wrangling.

"The next step is for the Strategic Rail Authority to agree the changes we have for Brighton station and then we will be able to close the toilets, make better use of the space and put the toilets in a place which is better for passengers who need to use them.

"Maybe if Lord Rogers is so concerned about the state of the toilets at Brighton station he could help us in the design for better ones. It might save us some cash."