MORE than 500 match day guests enjoyed meals made from local produce when Newcastle United chefs kicked off North-East Food Fortnight.

St James's Park executive head chef Ken Thompson chose a range of local suppliers to give a tasty boost to the meals served before United's game against aturday.

Locally-produced ingredients featured on the menus included traditionally-reared beef and pork, freshly-baked bread and Northumbrian nettle and Coquetdale cheeses.

Mr Thompson, who heads the largest hospitality venue in the North-East, said: "We regularly use local suppliers.

"I find they are very passionate about the products they are making and it is good to do business with them.

"North-East Food Fortnight has spurred us in to realising that there wealth and diversity of products available in our region that we don't always tap into."

Many of the suppliers who are featured in the St James's Park menus regularly attend farmers markets across the North-East.