A PUB on Swindon's outskirts has appointed a new head chef.

The Sun Inn in Lydiard Millicent has welcomed Francisco Rodriguez into his new role.

Originally from Spain, Francisco moved to the UK 10 years ago and has been nominated for the Best Gastronomy category of this year's GrINN Awards, which promote European tourism sustainability.

He began his career in hospitality in the Spanish town of Granada, which is famous for being one of the best places for tapas in Spain, and brings more than 12 years of experience to the role, where he will be responsible for running the village pub’s kitchen.

Francisco will be adding authentic Spanish tapas dishes such as king prawns 'pill-pill' (cooked in olive oil with garlic and chilli), meatballs in Mediterranean sauce, or squid "a la Romana' (fried squid with aioli sauce) to the new menu, along with a selection of pub classics.

A spokesman for the pub said: "Chef Rodriguez stands out for being one of the pioneers in the fusion of British and Spanish gastronomies and for promoting the use of local and seasonal products.

He said: "I'm very excited to take on the role and be able to bring new innovative dishes to the menu".