A vandalised Penistone bus shelter could be converted into a tourist information centre to help smarten up the town.

Members of Penistone Town Council, which is in the process of taking over the Market Place shelter from Barnsley Council, discussed the idea at a meeting on Monday.

The building, opposite St John's Church, is regularly used as a place to gather by people causing anti-social behaviour, often littered with rubbish and has been the subject of graffiti.

Town Coun Steve Marsh proposed the idea, which has also previously been suggested by Penistone West Councillor Ann Rusby, and said it may solve the issue of damage to the adjacent public toilets.

"To be frank, the bus stop is miles away from the bus shelter and some people would rather stand outside than in the shelter because of the damage," said Town Coun Marsh.

"We could possibly smarten it up and use it for some other use, like tourist information.

"The bus shelter is attracting the damage to the toilets."

The shelter was also recently damaged by a bus, which clipped the corner of the building as it turned the corner from Shrewsbury Road.

Mr Marsh, who said it could take a few months for the asset to be transferred to the town council, advised against taking on the shelter before the damage is repaired.

He added: "Unless they repair it beforehand, my view is that we don't take it on because I think it will be a fairly substantial cost."