A CHEF who left the trade to help his wife fight a life-threatening illness has opened a restaurant.

Husband and wife Terry and Michelle Breen have bought the Age Bar and Kitchen restaurant, Durham City.

Mr Breen, 41, was a chef at Lumley Castle, near Chester-le-Street. In 1986, his wife, a teacher at Thornhill School, in Sunderland, was diagnosed with a brain tumour. She was pregnant at the time and lost her baby.

"I was at a crossroads," said Mr Breen. "I had lost a baby and nearly lost my wife.

"My job involved very long hours, so I decided to pull out of catering and went into financial services for a relatively 9-to-5 job."

Mrs Breen made a full recovery.

After more than a decade working for a national building society, Mr Breen has decided to return to catering. Age previously only opened in the evenings, but the hours have been extended to catch the lunchtime trade.

"I want to promote it as a restaurant for the Claypath community," said Mr Breen. "It is our aim to source all our produce from within a 40-mile radius of the restaurant."

The couple launch the Ladies Who Lunch club at the restaurant on Friday, April 1, a loyalty scheme aimed at women diners.

They were able to buy the freehold with help from NatWest bank.

David Lander, of the NatWest, said: "We recognised the potential of the business and are pleased to be working closely with Terry and Michelle during this exciting time.

"Terry's previous experience demonstrates the calibre of food that will be available, continuing the tradition of the restaurant to provide the finest food and wine."