Maryport's appetite for Sri Lankan food has led a take-away to apply for longer operating hours just two months after opening.

Tharaka Pushpitha Dharmasena and his wife Sandra, of Crosby Villa, opened a sandwich bar on Wood Street with hot food and dishes from Mr Dharmasena's homeland.

He said: "We concentrated on the sandwiches and three quarters of our menu was English food."

But he said there has been so much demand for Sri Lankan food that the couple will launch a new menu.

Mrs Dharmasena added: "We have so many people asking for Sri Lankan food that our new menu will be the total opposite of the present one - dominated by Sri Lankan food."

The couple said they are on Skype constantly to Mr Dharmasena's mother getting more of her recipes and everything they are cooking will be made from scratch.

Spices have all been imported from Sri Lanka and even the coconuts come whole and are freshly grated.

The couple are also introducing a line of Sri Lankan drinks for locals to try.

A petition objecting to the opening of the takeaway, at the bottom of Wood Street, was signed by 100 people but Mr Dharmesana said there appears to have been no problems since he opened.

Mrs Dharmasena said: "The reason we want to open for longer hours is because many of our customers have said they would like to sit down later in the evening to enjoy a curry and we would like to be able to provide that service.

The couple have submitted an planning application to amend their opening hours to 8am to 11pm on Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 10pm on Sundays.