A train company is investing £350,000 to clean its fleet for passengers.

First Capital Connect, which runs services connecting stations including Sutton, Wimbledon, Tooting and Streatham to central London and areas north of the capital, is to give each of its 221 trains a deep clean with new equipment usually used in hospitals.

Part of the investment is paying for extra cleaners on trains on the Sutton loop during peak times as there is not enough time for the existing cleaners to do a thorough job while they are at terminals.

David Statham, managing director at First Capital Connect, said: "Our passengers have told us that we need to make our trains cleaner and I promised to do something about it, which is why we have invested this large sum of money.

"Having been on a shift with a train presentation team for a morning, I can tell you they do a great job.

"It’s hard work to clean a unit - scrubbing luggage racks and steaming upholstery. The new equipment will make it easier for our teams and will give our passengers much cleaner trains."

The company will also be introducing new newspaper recycling zones on trains in order to reduce clutter.

More than 90 trains have already been cleaned as part of the programme with each one taking two hours and 20 minutes.