EVERYONE has heard of the Indian takeaway. But now one curry house is set to open a "runway" restaurant.

The business is converting a redundant passenger jet at Bournemouth into an eatery with a difference.

Diners will be able to sample their favourite spicy dishes inside the BAC 1-11 aircraft at Bournemouth Airport.

Restaurant bosses have revealed that the restaurant is due to open in about six weeks.

With 120 covers it is surprisingly spacious and certainly offers a unique dining experience.

Mustafa Adlad, technical advisor on the project for Winchester restaurant Balaka and a trainee pilot, said the total value of the project was about £1million.

He added: "This has been on and off for ten years but we started looking seriously about four years ago. There were problems with planning permission but that has been sorted.

"We thought an aeroplane would be unique and a wonderful location, certainly exclusive and but would appeal to a lot of enthusiasts."

The food will be cooked in a kitchen next to the plane rather than in the cramped galley space.

Mr Adlad said the team from Balaka were desperate to keep their plans secret as other restaurants in London were looking at similar ventures.

But news of the restaurant began to seep out and Mr Adlad said that might explain the order from enthusiast Shaun Patrick, who ordered a £150 curry and collected it in a jet from Southampton Airport earlier this month.

Mr Adlad said: "I think he heard we had a plane and assumed we could deliver it to him."

First published: Sept 30