The Ship Inn is offering free hot lunches for children from the Burnham area who need them.

The pub in High Street, Burnham-on-Crouch, is providing a collection service for the meals to take away from Tuesday to Friday next week in a move that follows the Government's decision yesterday not to provide free school meals during half term. The pub will cater for up to 100 children each day.

Owner Justin Cracknell said: "I watched the news coverage of the decision and to be honest, I've always felt that school meals should be free for children who need them and now times are hard for so many people, there's a real need for this during half-term.

"No child deserves to go hungry and we just wanted to give something back.

"This has really lifted the spirits of all the staff, too. I felt as though we all need something to lift us at a time like this. If the whole world did something small to help each other, what a wonderful place it would be."

More details can be found by visiting The Ship Inn Burnham Facebook page.

Justin also own the New London restaurant in New London Road, Chelmsford, where he will be doing the same thing.