Brighton seafront railings painted by offenders

Offenders will be sprucing up Brighton’s seafront railings with a two-week painting session starting today.

For the next fortnight, offenders working through Surrey and Sussex Probation Trust’s Community Payback scheme will be working between the piers, going over the area painted last year to touch up rust spots caused by winter weather, and then work eastwards from the Sea Life Centre towards Kemp Town.

The second phase will complement the painting carried out by hoteliers last year and fill in any gaps. The operation will involve 88 people, including council staff, working for 748 hours.

Council leader Mary Mears said: “We’re having a big push so the railings are looking good in time for the start of the school summer holidays.

“The hoteliers did a fantastic job last year over three days, and this year we’re going even further thanks to tremendous support from the probation service which is providing a workforce for two weeks to help us get the city looking its best.”

Surrey and Sussex Probation Trust director of interventions Arthur Wing said: “This is the third time offenders have been used to paint the seafront railings and it’s great that they are able to make amends for their crimes in such a highly-visible and positive way – making the city look better in time for another busy tourist season.”