A group of British ex-pats living in south-west France have been missing their favourite curry restaurant meal so much that they ordered a takeaway meal to be delivered by a specially chartered plane.

Pilot James Emery, who lives in the Bordeaux area, has organised the long-distance delivery with Faz Ahmed, the manager of the Akash restaurant in Southsea, Hampshire.

He said: "I have been a loyal customer of the Akash for close to 20 years.

"Every time I popped in for a meal, I would complain about the bland and uninspiring version of Indian food we get in France.

"It was on one of these visits that Faz first floated the idea of delivering one to me at home in Bordeaux."

Mr Emery and the restaurant have teamed up with the Iroise Aero Formation, a professional flying school based in Brest, which has provided the use of a six-seater Socata TBM700 aircraft for the flight set to take place on January 13.

The aircraft will depart from Solent Airport in Lee-on-the-Solent, formerly known as HMS Daedalus naval air station, where it will be flown to Saucats Airfield, south of Bordeaux.

There the meals will be reheated and served to between 30 and 50 curry-lovers.

Mr Ahmed said: "Because of Brexit and other complications we were initially concerned this idea would not become a reality.

"But now I am confident it will be pulled off and cannot wait to see the outcome.

"It is an expensive thing to do but will be worth every penny when we pull it off. I'm excited."

The customers can order from a selection of meals including chicken tikka massala, lamb balti, Bengal naga chicken and vegetable paneer korai with a vegetable side and naan included in the £32 price.

It is not the first time that The Akash has catered for ex-pats missing its food in France.

In 2014 Roy Buchan took a selection of food across to France by ferry for his family's Christmas Day lunch.

By Ben Mitchell.