A disabled woman is angry after she discovered a council locks all its toilets after 4.30pm.

Sarah Price, 37, has Crohn's disease - a chronic inflammatory bowel disease which causes diarrhoea.

She relies on public amenities and has a councilissued key which should give her access to all disabled toilets.

Under the scheme operated by The Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (RADAR), disabled toilets are fitted with an electronic lock which can be opened with a universal key.

But when Ms Price, of Old Shoreham Road, needed to use the toilets in Hove Park last weekend she was horrified to discover she could not get in.

When she complained to Brighton and Hove City Council, she discovered the authority had decided to deadbolt all public disabled toilets at 4.30pm when they close the rest of the amenities.

The council said they were forced to lock the toilets because the blocks were regularly targeted by vandals and drug takers.

Ms Price said: "This is disgusting. Having access to disabled toilets helps me lead a normal life.

"I work. I'm selfemployed so I can work around my illness. I don't claim benefits. I rely on public toilets so I can go out.

"I am not in a wheelchair so at least if the worst comes to the worst I can nip in a bush. But other people rely on them. I'd like to know if this is legal."

A spokeswoman for the city council said the decision had not been taken lightly.

She said: "The opening hours of the public toilets do not form part of a legal requirement. The closure of RADAR-accessible toilets during the night is a measure we have had to take due to the amount of misuse and vandalism."

She said people had been sleeping and taking drugs in the toilets.

She said: "The toilet is not only being misused but is not available for genuine users. Cleaning staff have also been abused."

A spokesman from The Disability Rights Commission said the council could face serious implications.

He said: "It seems it is using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. This decision may fall in breach of its disability equality duties.

"Any policies it adopts must not have a negative impact on disabled people.

This decision clearly has a negative impact on disabled people's use of services."