ROTARY volunteers have thanked rail staff for their help in cleaning a railway station 'eyesore'.

For the past three years members of the local Rotary club have been helping to clean up the Church and Oswaldtwistle Railway station.

Network Rail staff have now helped the group by cleaning the underground tunnel adjacent to the station.

They have removed old paintwork, repainted the whole tunnel and installed steel meshing on the upper walls and across the ceiling to prevent pigeon roosting

A spokesman for the Rotary Club of Church and Oswaldtwistle said: "The main eyesore of the clean-up programme has been the scruffy and tatty appearance of the tunnel that is adjacent to the station.

"Network Rail are very much to be congratulated for the work they have just completed on the tunnel."

Volunteers will continue to work to improve the station, with clean ups taking place on Saturday mornings.

Cleaning work involves power washing steps and removing weeds.