A FRENCH chef who served gourmet grub from his fast food kiosk in West Bay is saying au revoir after 30 years.

Kangaroo burgers and ostrich steaks were amongst the posh nosh on offer at Le Moulin Rouge.

Venison, wild boar and garlic-flavoured panninis were also on the upmarket menu for the thousands of discerning customers who flocked to eat there every summer - alongside the more traditional British seaside fare.

Now Alain Toudic, 60, and his wife Pat are calling it a day and planning a well-earned retirement.

Their tiny kiosk is being taken over by new owners this weekend.

Mrs Toudic, 60, said they were sad to be leaving but felt it was the right time after three decades there.

She said: "We came to Bridport in 1976 from Toulon on the French Riviera.

"Alain had always been a chef and the idea was to start a restaurant over here. But we got to know the man who was running the kiosk and when he decided to sell we thought why not try that'.

"It has worked very well and we have had a nice life. We got to know thousands of people and these days we serve our original customers' children - and sometimes their children, too."

Mrs Toudic said as 30 was a nice round number they decided this was the year to hang up their aprons.

"We are planning lots of things to do like gardening and seeing the family.

"We have a grandchild in France," she added. "We have always closed the kiosk for the winter anyway but come next summer we may be wondering what to do with ourselves.

"We will definitely be joining the customers on the other side of the counter, though."

She added: "We would like to thank all our customers and our friends."