Award-winning curry chefs having been delivering meals to frontline hospital workers to “put a smile on their faces” and say thank you for risking their lives.

Staff at Sheffield’s Royal Hallamshire Hospital were tucking in to kala chicken and kala gosht with pilau rice on Wednesday night after a delivery from The Vine, in the Mosborough area of the city.

The Vine’s front-of-house manager, Mohammed Hussain, said: “They are out there risking their lives, helping people, protecting people.

“We’ve always wanted to give something back in return.”

Mr Hussain said: “Without the NHS the whole country would be a disaster.

“We’re just doing our bit and giving them a meal that will, hopefully, put a smile on their faces and make them aware that their hard work is being rewarded. It’s our little bit that we’re trying to do.”

The Sheffield deliveries are part of National Curry Week for Health Heroes, organised by the food ordering platform ChefOnline.

More than 50 curry houses are preparing more than 25,000 Indian dishes over the week, supported by Asian Restaurant & Takeaway Awards (ARTA).

ChefOnline chief executive Mohammed Munim said: “We are so proud of the work of the health workers on the front lines, risking their lives day in and day out to save others.

“We wanted to send a big thank you for their selfless action against this awful virus, and we figured that it would be fantastic to gift them with top quality, fresh curry cuisine from some of the leading UK restaurants.

“We want the health workers in the UK to know that we are so proud of them. They are the real-life superheroes and National Curry Week is a full tribute to them, using the magic of South Asian cuisine to hopefully bring a smile to their faces”.