Students gave up their time to give a tired looking garden allotment building a new lick of paint.

The painting and decorating students from Barking and Dagenham College painted the communal block at Becontree Allotments and Garden Association in Fambridge Road, Dagenham on Thursday.

College tutor and allotment committee member Geoff Hall said: “We wanted to do a bit of community work with the students so thought this would be the perfect job.

“Everyone really enjoyed themselves and the hut looks much better now.”

Students from the same department recently painted Maples day centre for people with disabilities in Gascoigne Road, Barking.

The six young people decorated the centre’s multi-purpose room, which included preparing all the walls before painting them in the centre’s new yellow colour scheme.