A curry good idea as restaurant serves more than 400 meals for key workers across Burnley and Pendle

Nurul Hoque, who runs Bombay Lounge in Barrowford, who has been feeding homeless people in Burnley for the last eight years, extended his community-spirited cooking to key workers across the NHS, care homes and the emergency services in the weeks since lockdown.

Staff at Burnley General Hospital, the Royal Blackburn Hospital, Pendleside Hospice, local police and fire stations and several local care homes have all been tucking into the tasty meals recently.

Nurul said: "I have making meals for the homeless for many years but the idea has really snowballed from there. A few years ago we served a party in the Bombay Lounge from a local care home and I decided to cook a Christmas meal for the residents.

"Then when the lockdown began I thought I would give something back to all the key workers locally who were working so hard in such dificult circumstances. The relevant organisations contact me through the Bombay Lounge Facebook page."

Nurul said he believes his good work has inspired other local businesses to do the same.

He added: "It is hard work but I enjoy it. I'm glad that lots of local businesses are doing their bit for the community too."