A VOLUNTARY group to help breathe life back into a 'sad' railway station is set to be formed.

The team's aim is to maintain and restore Hapton Railway Station back to its former glory.

Once the group is set up, it would look for funding to help pay for equipment and for health and safety training to perform cleaning duties.

Co-ordinating the project Cllr Jo Garrigan, who sits on Hapton Parish Council, said members of the village are being asked to take part.

Cllr Garrigan said: "We want to make the station pretty once again.

"At the moment it's not very welcoming and I would not want to walk down there at night.

"It needs weeding, cleaning, a proper bin put in and other bits to improve it.

"We need people to do around half-an-hour of work a week, so it would not take too long to get the station back to its prime.

"We are looking to speak to Hapton CE Primary School and ask them to creative a welcoming banner for each side of the platform.

"We have spoken to Community Rail and we are looking to get health and safety training finalised and make sure everything is in place to form the group."

The unmanned station runs as part of the East Lancashire Line, providing transport links to Burnley and Colne as well as Blackburn and Preston.

The group will work with the parish council to help keep the station maintained.

Cllr Joan Lakeland, who sits on Hapton Parish Council, said: "At the moment it looks a little sad, we want to change this.

"The better its kept the less chance of vandalism and less chance of criminal damaged being caused.

"We want all age groups to take part in keeping the station looking nice."

To find out more or to join the group, contact the 'Hapton Parish Council' Facebook page.