STAFF from an Italian restaurant visited a local hospice to lift patients’ spirits.

Workers from Washington-based Fiume visited Willow Burn Hospice, near Lanchester, to serve staff and patients a pizza and pasta lunch

The restaurant’s bar staff showed off their skills, mixing a selection of alcohol-free mocktails and encouraged patients and staff to have a go themselves.

Later this year, three of the restaurant’s team will take part in the Great North Run in aid of the hospice.

Alan Welch, general manager at Fiume, said: “The services and support which Willow Burn Hospice provides is vital to the local community and it was our pleasure to treat patients and staff to a special lunch.

“Patients’ illnesses mean that they just aren’t well enough to go out to a restaurant to enjoy a meal, something which a lot of us may take for granted”.

Katherine Luke, from Willow Burn, said: “The time which the team from Fiume spent with our patients during the afternoon was invaluable. It was great to see such big smiles on their faces.”