CRIMINALS across the district have helped to refurbish the new Citizens Advice Bureau in Trowbridge that is due to open later this month.

Up to a dozen people serving community punishment orders with Wiltshire Probation have been refurbishing the CAB's new premises in Mill Street so that staff can open the doors on May 23.

"It's been a really good project for us because all our offenders can relate to the work of the CAB they all have someone in their family who has used the service and they understand what we're trying to do," said community service officer Teresa Thornton.

CAB manager Sarah Cardy asked the community service team to help when staff realised they still had a lot of decorating work to do on their new building.

"It's been excellent, they've worked very hard and done a really good job. It's looking really good now.

"Without them, we would have been struggling to do it ourselves we haven't the money to pay someone to do the work," said Cllr Cardy.

Offenders who have been sentenced to carry out unpaid work in the community have been using Saturdays, Sundays and one day in the week to complete the project, decorating the walls inside the building and adding the finishing touches in time for the opening.