A WIDNES restaurant is celebrating its first birthday by treating youngsters to a free meal.

A family fun day is being held at Frankie & Benny’s at The Hive leisure park in Earle Road on Saturday, October 20.

A face painter and balloon modeller will be there from 1pm to 5pm.

Children can eat free all day if they their parents purchase a meal from the main menu.

The restaurant’s 32 staff have achieved much success during their first year.

They helped to raise more than £180,000 to enable five-year-old cerebral palsy victim, Susanna Petersburska, to fly to America for pioneering surgery to learn to walk. Her dad, Andy, 36, is a waiter at the restaurant.

Employee Samantha Elwell won the leisure and hospitality award at Halton’s Business and Tourism Awards.

Twenty schools learnt how to make Italian food at pizza masterclasses.