Picnic benches to encourage people to use the beach this summer have been set up.

Swale council’s seafront officer Ian Arnell came up with the idea to install the three wooden seats in Sheerness.

They are along the promenade, near Tesco, along with two normal wooden benches, and were put in by Island Ground Maintenance (IGM) on Wednesday.

The £4,000 project has been funded through Mr Arnell’s seafront budget and the structures have been cemented into the ground.

“It’s been a bit of a dead space for years,” he said.

“We have done a lot for Minster Leas the past couple of years and I think Sheerness seafront needs something just to help improve it.

“They are for families and anyone to come and use to sit and have lunch or a picnic while enjoying the beach.

“I would like to thank John Gates and Steve Crowder from IGM for their help.”