BAFFLED diners at a restaurant are having to use knives and forks to eat ice cream after thieves made off with its stock of spoons.

Students have been earmarked as the main suspects by staff at Nando's, in The Gate, Newcastle.

The cutlery thefts at the self-service restaurant coincided with the start of term at the city's two universities.

Assistant manager Billy Richardson, 27, said: "It seems to be the spoons they're after.

"Over the summer break we had loads of spoons, but we have noticed them going missing since the students have been back.

"I suppose they are quite useful for making tea or eating cereal and it's cheaper than buying their own."

Chef Davie Wilson, 18, said: "We often see people loading the cutlery and pots into their bags."

The shortage has become so bad that one diner was told by apologetic staff that she would have to tuck into her ice cream with a knife and fork.

She said: "I thought they were joking but then they explained that all the spoons were going missing and handed me a knife and fork."