COLLEGE students have worked together to refurbish one of the main suites of Leigh Masonic Hall in a two-week work placement.

Joinery and painting and decorating students from Wigan and Leigh College teamed up to make and fit panel mouldings.

They then decorated before priming and undercoating and using spray equipment to refurbish the suite.

Students Jess Moss and Lewis Adshead said: "It was a good experience and we had to work to a tight schedule. We learnt new skills and we had never taken on a project like this before but the skills we developed will surely help us in the future."

The students are based at the college's centre of excellence in engineering and construction.

The placement was set up by the college's FAB Futures Team.

Simon Isherwood from Leigh Masonic Hall said: “Working in partnership with our local college has been a real pleasure and a wonderful success story.

“Dealing with minor problems as they arise and finding workarounds, working together they could learn and hone new skills and apply learnt ones.

"The project to refurbish and modernise our Leigh Group Masonic Ellesmere Suite Hall was something they whole-heartedly embraced.

"The newly decorated room now has a refreshed environment for the benefit of its users thanks to the hard work and commitment from students and staff to complete the project on time.”

The college is one of three in Greater Manchester that has been chosen to lead its sector in the government's GM Careers Hub.