Care in the community took on a new meaning in the southern Spanish town of Carcaixent after a 66-year-old man was discovered to have lived in a park toilet for 15 years - with the blessing of the town hall. José Tormo was allowed to move into the small space adjoining the toilet as an emergency measure in the early 1990s, when he lost his job and separated from his wife. In exchange, he cleaned the toilet and did odd jobs for the town during the first eight years of his stay.
The mayor, Lola Botella, said she did not find out Mr Tormo was still living in the toilet - with a camping stove, bed, cluttered shelves and donated furnishings - until last month.
"I had no idea," said Ms Botella. "Sometimes he would ask me for money when I passed the park and I would give it to him without knowing who he was."
Ms Botella said Mr Tormo would be allowed to remain in the toilet until the city could house him or he went to live with one of his five children. Mr Tormo told a local newspaper, El Mercantil Valenciano: "I wake up at seven and open the restroom, then spend the day in the park, making sure everything is more or less in order, even though I don't work for the city any more."
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