Toilets in some secondary schools throughout the district remain a no-go area for pupils, a union official has revealed.

Ann Nash, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers' (ATL) health and safety officer for the Bradford area, made her assertion in the wake of a campaign being backed by the British Cleaning Council (BCC).

The campaign claims toilets in many secondary schools throughout the country are unfit for purpose.

Mrs Nash is now calling on Bradford Council's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme to pull the plug on bog-standard conveniences.

The BSF scheme will see every secondary school re-built over the next ten years.

Mrs Nash said: "I know that the state of toilets remains a huge area that is unfortunately neglected.

"It is not seen as being worthy of a high profile.

"The report does not surprise me in the least. There are some examples of toilets in Bradford-district secondary schools that are disgusting and covered in graffiti.

"Some schools do have monitors to help reduce instances of vandalism and bullying.

"But I am really hoping that the BSF programme will address these issues. Whether that comes out on the ground I shall wait and see."

Mrs Nash said unsupervised and poorly lit toilets could lead to bullying which might "mar a child's entire school experience".

Last year, the Government said school toilets should be unisex and open to observation to stop bullying from taking place.

Work is nearing completion on BSF phase one in Bradford, with contractors putting the finishing touches to schools on the Salt Grammar, Tong School and Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College sites.

Phase two, which will include the regeneration of Hanson and Grange Technology College, in Bradford, Beckfoot School, in Bingley, and Greenhead School, in Keighley, has also been approved by council bosses.

A Bradford Council spokesman said: "As part of the BSF programme we will be providing modern toilets alongside modern, state-of-the art school buildings.

"As part of the general management of circulation of air, the toilets will be as well-ventilated as the rest of the school buildings.

"And as part of inclusion and accessibility, they will be built in a way which allows pupils using toilets to feel safe."