STUDENTS who spent two months restoring the region's heritage in miniature have seen the results of their work.

Darlington College vehicle, body and paint students have painstakingly renovated scale models of the Transporter and Newport bridges for Nature's World, in Middlesbrough.

The ecological attraction was given the 1/40th scale models 14 years ago, for its River Tees display. Every year, 30,000 visitors enjoy the attraction but the bridges were in need of sprucing up.

Middlesbrough councillor John Hobson approached his son Dave for help as he works in the automotive department at Darlington College and a dozen students were enlisted to repaint the bridges.

Tutor Ron Spears said they researched the original paint but the codes no longer existed and they had to revert to British standard colours.

The bridges were shot-blasted, primed and top coated, before being baked in the college's state of the art drying oven.

"We used special industrial paint so it should last for many years to come," said Mr Spears.

"It was a brilliant project for our student because it took them out of their comfort zone and showed how paint can be applied in a different way but using the same skills."