Offenders in high-visibility jackets emblazoned with 'Community Payback' will spend hours tidying Ipswich's Trinity Park as part of a nationwide clean-up.

Up to 280 offenders, supervised by the Probation Service, will carry out litter picks across East Anglia in places such as Ipswich, Colchester and Great Yarmouth in support of 'The Great British Spring Clean'.

Offenders across the country will take part in more than 300 clear-up projects as part of the annual Keep Britain Tidy initiative, which runs until April 10, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said.

The courts hand down more than 50,000 hours of unpaid work requirements each year for crimes such as theft, criminal damage and alcohol-related incidents.

The MoJ said the marked high-vis jackets ensure offenders are seen to be atoning for their crimes while carrying out work that benefits the local community.

Kit Malthouse, policing and crime minister, said: "To criminals, there are few stronger deterrents than a community that is able to take pride in their area.

"Safe neighbourhoods attract jobs and investment and let people thrive, free from crime.

"Getting offenders to pay for their crimes in a way that visibly benefits the community they have harmed is critical to making them think twice about tormenting their fellow citizens.

“Offenders are involved in community projects around the country every day. To support this year’s Great British Spring Clean, we are mobilising more than a thousand offenders to give them a chance to clean up their act, payback our communities and show that justice is being done.”

The government said it is investing an extra £93million into 'Community Payback' over the next three years which will see offenders completing eight million hours of unpaid work a year to improve the environment and revitalise towns and cities.

A total of £183m has also been invested to expand electronic monitoring over the next three years to improve public safety – doubling the number of people on electronic tags from around 13,500 to approximately 25,000 by 2025, the government added.