A RESTAURANT is delivering a meal 4,000 miles away to feed officials from the Bangladeshi cricket team.

Shahid Ali, owner of Sylhet Restaurant, Whalley Road, Langho, and his chef are heading off today to Barbados with an authentic Bangladeshi fish dish to be served to VIP guests of the cricket team, who are taking part in the Cricket World Cup in the West Indies.

Mr Ali said a restaurateur in London who had been contacted by officials asked them if they were willing to carry out the unusual order as the team could not obtain the dish in the Caribbean.

Mr Ali, who is Bangladeshi, said: "The dish is quite an unusual one, with a special fish that comes from the Sylhet region of Bangladesh.

"Not many restaurants do it, but we specialise in that cuisine, which is why we were contacted."

As well as feeding the officials, Mr Ali will be reimbursed for the cost of the meal and the flights.

But he said he was delighted nonetheless to take on such a "big honour".

He said: "We want to get a good name for Lancashire, and for Langho.

"The fish has to be carefully de-boned and marinated in a special spice mix, which my chef has already done.

"We will take the fish to the hotel where the team and their guests are staying, and explain to the chefs there how to cook it."

Mr Ali said he expected to be catering for 30 people or so, but will be taking more fish just in case.

The duo will fly back on Sunday, and are hoping to watch a live cricket match while they are out there.