AN AWARD-winning restaurant is set to use produce grown by armed forces veterans in its dishes after it teamed up with a charity.

Victoria Park-based Spirit Restaurant has announced a partnership with Blue Apple Veterans which will see the bistro use fruit, vegetables and herbs grown in the charity's allotment.

Food cooked by Spirit head chef Rick Barlow and his team will now also be served in Blue Apple's newly-launched cafe on Buttermarket Street in the town centre.

Volunteer project manager Steve James said: "We're really excited about the chance to see our produce go towards creating some of the high quality dishes at Spirit Restaurant.

"Its reputation in Warrington and across Cheshire is fantastic and this partnership will really spur our growers on to produce the kind of fruit, vegetables and herbs that Rick and his team need.

"The support that we are going to receive for the cafe is going to prove invaluable in getting this valuable resource up and running.

"We're really looking forward to working together."

Blue Apple Veterans launched five years ago in order to support armed forces veterans experiencing problems including post-traumatic stress disorder.

Spirit Restaurant owner Prague Bhatnagar said: "We know the team at Blue Apple Veterans work so hard to produce really high quality fruit and vegetables so we thought there was potential to work together to make sure some of that produce made its way on to our menu.

"Our head chef Rick and his team are committed to using the highest quality ingredients in their dishes and we're confident that we can get exactly that from the Blue Apple allotments.

"It's fantastic for us to have the chance to support a brilliant cause that's right on our doorstep and that supports so many families right across the north west."