OFFENDERS from the Trafford area gave Longford Park a much-needed Spring clean last week.

Graffiti was painted over and litter was cleared from the Stretford park by people who had been given community service for offences ranging from fraud, dangerous driving and affray.

Organised as part of a Community Payback project to improve the area, the team, who were supervised by the Greater Manchester Probation Trust from March 28 to 31, painted the bollards at Pets’ Corner, the toilet roof and the rain shelter.

Debbie Wilford, community payback officer, said: “Offenders will be paying back in a very real way to the community against which they have offended, and will also be learning about team work.”

One offender, convicted to 200 hours community service for benefit fraud, told the Messenger that he thought the scheme was a good way of helping out the community.

Bob Dunbar, from Friends of Longford Park, said the work done by the offenders was “very effective and much appreciated”.