A weekly newspaper is thought to have achieved a world first – after having a new toilet named after it.

The Stratford-upon-Avon Herald is believed to have become the only local paper to ever have been granted the honour, courtesy of local company Thomas Crapper.

Crapper has manufactured high-end bathroom fittings since 1861, a year after the Herald was first published in the Warwickshire town.

And for every ‘Herald pan’, worth £395, sold by the company, £10 will be donated to the newspaper’s nominated charity, Stratford Cancer and Eye Hospital, as part of its ‘Spend a penny’ appeal.

Editor Amanda Chalmers added: “The opportunity to get involved with this partnership was too good to resist. We’re only too aware of the jokes and puns we are opening ourselves up for but we can promise you, we will be laughing along too.

“How many other newspapers can boast this claim to fame? As far as we can tell this is a first and we’re extremely proud of that. Thank you to Thomas Crapper for this uniquely special honour — we all feel justifiably ‘flushed with success.'”

Paul Dwyer, Managing Director at Thomas Crapper, said: “We are a local business and the idea of teaming up with the Herald and supporting a great local cause like the hospital is something we are very pleased about. We believe in putting something back into the community in which we work so to be able to raise money for something like this is fantastic.

“I strongly suspect this is the first time a toilet has been named in honour of a newspaper, although I’m not sure about the association of toilets and journalism.”