OFFENDERS, who are now on probation, are being used by Ottery Town Council to improve the town.

OFFENDERS, who are now on probation, are being used by Ottery Town Council to improve the town.

Councillors have utilised a free labour scheme on offer from The Probation Service which has already seen low-level offenders carry out much needed repairs to a gate at the town's allotments on Sunday.

The workers will return this Sunday to carry out work on scrubland and grass behind the factory and town councillor Ian Holmes believes the work has a double benefit.

He said: "They aren't doing work that East Devon should be doing but are doing things that the Town Council would otherwise have to pay for and can't afford so this fills that gap.

Some of them come out from places like Exeter to our community and it is a bit of an eye opener to be out in the country, I hope its of benefit to them, it certainly is to us. They did a good, proper job."

Chairman of the allotment committee Adrian Forster described the work carried out as "top notch" and said he was delighted by the improvements.

With thefts from the site on Higher Ridgeway a hot topic in the town the improvements have been welcomed and plans for a combination lock for the gate are being discussed.