A TOP team have set the benchmark after breathing new life into East India Harbour.

Young men under the wing of Inverclyde Community Development Trust worked together to restore the dilapidated seats which overlook the area.

This means locals and visitors alike can now sit and enjoy the fabulous views across the River Clyde.

Robert Dowds, from the development trust, says the lads got a great deal out of the initiative and praised the local authority for paying for it.

He said: “Manual, practical work is a great discipline, allowing basic skills, self-confidence, mental health and sense of achievement.

“It’s great that our local council funds such programmes."

The benches, formed from the old mooring points at the harbour, had long been neglected.

Young men on a Future Jobs Employability Programme funded by Inverclyde Council replaced the seating with new wooden panels, giving the mooring points and benches a new lease of life.

The team spent a day talking to anglers, walkers and cyclists to find out what would make the space more attractive for people to walk and cycle through.

Restoring the benches and enabling more people to sit and enjoy the view came out as the top request from local people.

Ten benches were spruced up on the scheme, delivered along with the charity Sustrans, council and trust with support from Peel Ports.

Further changes to the site to make it more people friendly are planned for May this year.

Maria Klimek from Sustrans Scotland said: “It’s really satisfying to see how simple low-cost changes implemented by local people and organisations can really help to breathe life back into public spaces like East India Harbour.

“We’re working up larger scale temporary plans for the area following the initial consultation in September and look forward to seeing East India Harbour become an even better space for local people to spend time in and travel through.”