CAMPAIGNERS have celebrated the installation of a public water fountain in Christchurch town centre, but said the fight is not over in attempting to extend the opening hours of toilets.

Christchurch Borough Council recently placed a clean drinking water supply by the Saxon Square toilet block after members of Christchurch Soup Kitchen had lobbied for the facility to support the homeless community.

Claire Wade, a trustee of Christchurch Soup Kitchen, said the water fountain was long over due and it provided an essential service for rough sleepers in town.

"It took a while for it to get fitted and we had a really positive reaction from members of the public as well as the rough sleepers," she said.

"The rough sleepers are made up and for us as a charity it makes things much easier because previously we had to collect a lot of bottled water to distribute.

"We had people using one of the gardening taps with a copper pipe and these are people whose health can be very poor. Now they have fresh clean drinking water."

Ms Wade raised the issue of a drinking water supply at a full council meeting earlier this month. She also called for the local authority to extend the opening times of toilet blocks beyond the current 6pm cut off.

At the meeting leader of the council David Flagg said he would not recommend changing the closing time to members due to the positive impact the measure had had on curbing anti-social behaviour.

However, Ms Wade told the Daily Echo she will continue to press for the matter to be addressed.

"The toilets are a massive issue because sleeping in a tent or a field, you are limited where you can go for sanitation.

"Rough sleepers have had problems trying to use toilets in cafes so I cannot see pubs opening their doors in the evening, like the leader of the council suggested. We know stories from our rough sleepers where they have been refused access.

"We are only asking for it to opened an extra three hours a night until 9pm. Using a field or drain as a toilet is just not acceptable. This is Christchurch, not a rural third world country.

"I don't think it is asking a lot to have the toilets open a little bit longer."