FOOD sourced in the south west is to take pride of place on a new menu for diners on First Great Western (FGW) trains.

From November, FGW is rolling out further improvements to locally-sourced food served on-board, with the firm's Pullman fine-dining menu being expanded to run on 10 trains daily, with 32 new locally-sourced products on board.

Travelling between London and Penzance or Plymouth, diners can now enjoy tea grown in Cornwall; burrata from Hampshire buffalo; and Omelette Arnold Bennett made with Somerset smoked haddock and eggs. Today’s addition of four more trains means FGW has increased the number of new Pullman services from four to 10 in 18 months.  

Jo Elliott, from FGW, said: "First Great Western is committed to supporting the communities we serve.

"What better way to do that than by helping local farmers and producers and serve up dishes cooked with their own ingredients; prepared and presented with the skill and delicacy that this top of the range produce deserves."

FGW is also adding 32 more locally-made products to its Express Café range - found on board every High Speed Train - including Welsh Bircher Muesli; Devon marmalade; and Cornish shortbread.

The company already serves cheese from cows that graze the banks of Cornwall’s Frenchman’s Creek; award-wining Somerset pies; and Brixham crab.

Today’s announcements come in response to increased demand for even more locally sourced food from both first class and standard class passengers.

Last year, FGW pledged to fill its on-board larders with as much Welsh and West Country produce as possible - and today almost 90 products come from near to its railway lines.