A Staffordshire fish bar is capitalizing on the festive season by offering its customers traditional fare with a twist - deep-fried Christmas pudding.

Central Fish Bar in Walsall Road, Cannock, began serving the dessert last week.

Shop worker Shazad Mohammed told BBC News Online: "The customers were joking about it so we thought it would be a good idea to try it out.

"So far there has been quite a lot of demand for them but people tend to be asking for them more during the day rather than at night.

"The puddings will be on sale right up until Christmas and if there is a demand for them after Christmas, who knows, we might start doing them on a permanent basis."

In February 2000, Scottish chef Ross Kendall sparked a national debate in France after outraging food purists by putting deep-fried chocolate bars on the menu of Parisian restaurant Le Chipper.

The idea for deep-fried Mars Bars is thought to have originated in Stonehaven, in the north-east of Scotland.