Rising Pissoirs

Britain's surfing capital Newquay, a magnet in particular for Australians in search of waves and raves, has introduced high-tech urinals to cater for the nocturnal demands of partying visitors, local officials say.

The pissoirs, which rise smoothly from the pavement at nightfall and disappear as silently at dawn, are designed to keep the streets clean around the resort's seafront centre, which has become an almost permanent party zone.

"Young men using the street as a toilet is not how we would like the town portrayed, and we needed to resolve the problem so that everyone in Newquay can benefit from the strong night-time economy," said local councillor Anne Boosey.

The three retractable urinals were installed after residents of the town in Cornwall, south-west England, complained that late-night revellers were emerging from pubs and clubs and relieving themselves against walls and in the open.

"Newquay is a place with an all-year-round night life and the problem is pretty much 12 months of the year, especially as large quantities of drink are consumed," added councillor Boosey.

Newquay, a one-time fishing village on the north Cornwall coast, has transformed itself into the capital of England's surfing scene, with 11 beaches stretching over seven miles of golden sand.