A LICKEY Hills pub has worked out a novel way of coping with the coronavirus crisis - by introducing a first-of-its-kind delivery service.

The Old Rose and Crown Hotel believes its new 'Lickey Pies' delivery scheme is the first of its kind in South Birmingham and Worcestershire.

Deliveries are currently only available on Thursdays - visit www.thelickeypies.co.uk for more details - but owner Andrew Hodges may expand the service.

He has already been delighted with how a Sunday lunch delivery service was received by customers and is now delivering six lockdown-themed pies such as the 'Lickey two-metre' (chicken and smoked ham).

Mr Hodges admitted: "We have had to postpone eight weddings until this time next year.

"Lockdown has been a huge shock and a lesson learned that we need to diversify more to be able to survive.

"So we struck on the idea of delivering Sunday lunch - because Sunday lunches are always popular here.

"Now we are trying the pies and the response has been phenomenal - I think I did 75 pies today. We're a bit surprised and overwhelmed."