NHS staff and frontline workers are to be fed free of charge by a pub offering meals to take away.

Although the Golden Lion at Stithians Lake, which was the Packet's Village Pub of the Year in 2019, is now closed to the public, under government instruction, it will still be making meals daily and leaving them in a fridge at the front of pub through its 'Feeding the Frontline' scheme.

Health and emergency service workers can simply collect a meal or two to take away.

The pub said: "The fridges will be stocked and available 24/7, because our nurses do not work 9-5. So now, at 3am, they can collect a decent meal whilst heading home.

"We encourage them to take a few days' supply to reduce the travelling.

"We believe this is the safest way to show our appreciation."

Falmouth Packet:

While primarily for healthcare workers, the pub added that anyone who knew of someone elderly or vulnerable who was struggling could also use the service and donate accordingly.

It said the service would continue "for as long as possible."

The pub has set up a Go Fund Me page at gofundme.com/golden-lion-feeding-the-front-line where people can donate money to keep the meals going once the pub's stocks have run out.

Landlady Sarah Sear said she and husband Mark were prompted to start up the service following a phone call from an exhausted nurse.

They had been running a takeaway business from the pub since the government ordered all pubs and restaurants to close to the public, giving away free meals to NHS workers even at this point.

However, following Monday night's introduction of a lockdown, the couple had decided, after speaking with neighbours and customers, to close altogether and end the takeaway. That was until Sarah received a phone call.

"I had a phone call from an exhausted nurse, asking for her free NHS meal. I had to say, 'I'm sorry, I'm closed' and it broke my heart.

"We thought, 'While we still have equipment and stock and breath we will carry on."

Currently available for collection is beef stew with potatoes and red cabbage; Goan curry with egg fried rice; and broccoli and cheese pasta bake.

Stocks will be replenished and the dishes changed over the coming days.

"We're not sitting around type people. We're just trying to give something back.

"This coronavirus is going to get somebody we know, that's how we look at it - someone will need that NHS service," added Sarah, who has run the pub with her husband for three years but lived next to it for much longer.

And even though they are not on the main route to the hospitals, so accept they may not be accessible enough to some staff, the couple hope that their actions will inspire other pubs and restaurants to do the same.

"Then we will have done out bit," said Sarah.