A Surbiton restaurant is tackling loneliness this Christmas by offering free food to whoever visits on Christmas Eve.

Il Sapore, in Surbiton Road, will open on Thursday, December 24 to serve its traditional Italian cuisine to anyone in need of some festive cheer free of charge.

The restaurant's owner, nicknamed Vini Vini, said: “I feel a bit sad for people who just feel alone because my family is alone back home, so why not give something for people who feel alone here?

“We have a lot of students who cannot go home and people who cannot pay for it. We can just do something different you see, there are too many people now who are just struggling for money.

“They will be happy and they will enjoy it, it’s like a family here.”