OFFENDERS have spruced up Darwen’s historic steam engine with help from Crown Paints.

The landmark outside India Mill Business Centre in Bolton Road is a Cross Compound Steam Engine dating from 1905, but it had become tired-looking and a dumping ground for litter.

After years of complaints from residents, Blackburn with Darwen Council approached the Community Payback team to give the engine a facelift.

Paint was provided free-of-charge by Crown and work took around a month to complete.

Geri Byrne-Thompson, Lancashire probation's head of Community Payback, said: “We asked mainly local offenders to do it and they really got into it because it needed a certain degree of skill.

"It also got a lot of attention from passers-by shouted words of encouragement, so it was nice for them to feel they were doing something that was really appreciated.”

Coun David Harling said: “This is a much-loved landmark of Darwen and we are grateful to Crown for supporting this and the probation team for making it possible.”