YOUNG offenders have been put to work painting the longest railway station bench in the world.

The bench, at Scarborough station, North Yorkshire, is 139 metres long and sprucing it up is a major task.

But now it has been given a smart new look along its entire length as part of a community scheme for young offenders.

The station is managed by Arriva Trains Northern, and the firm's head of stations, Peter Myers, said the group was approached by North Yorkshire's Youth Offending Team to see if there were any projects with which they could help.

He said: "We suggested the painting of the bench at Scarborough station as a worthwhile project.

"As the longest railway station bench in the world, it is an interesting landmark which they have helped to maintain for the local community and visitors to the town."

Officials from the team supervised the group of several youngsters, aged between 14 and 16, as they sanded the bench and gave it a fresh coat of paint.