A START-UP firm has been celebrating after their food hit the shelves in Winchester.

On the Menu, based in Winnall, provide meals tailored for elderly people - smaller, complete, high in nutrients, easy to open and with sleeves in large print.

The company are in their second year of trading but their products have not been in the city's shops until now.

Managing director, Elizabeth Jones, said: “The statistics for malnourishment of people over age 65 who live at home in the UK is horrifying and increases with age.

“This is a generation that rarely complain and often suffer in silence. It is the catalyst for our business and is at the core of our mission to halt these statistics and provide good quality food that meets the needs of seniors.

“We all need different types of food at different stages of life for different conditions.”

Kingsgate Wine & Provisions, on Kingsgate Street, will be the first to stock the meals and a tea party was held there to celebrate.

Residents from St John's Charity helped with the research in the early days of the company, and they were invited to join in the party on Tuesday, May 7.

Elizabeth said: “It was fantastic and we had a great turn out.

“We had a 96-year-old lady who was amazing. She said that what she would like to do is to ring ahead to the shop and place her order, then come round with her trolley to collect the meals.”