STAFF at a fish and chip shop in Flackwell Heath donned Victorian garb yesterday to mark the 150th anniversary of the staple British meal.

Owner Dal Singh has been running Frackle Fryers, in Swains Market, for five years and said he loves being part of a British tradition.

He said: “Even before I had the shop I'd eat fish and chips every Friday – I love it. It's been good fun dressing up and we've had a bit of a giggle in these outfits.”

The earliest record of fried fish is thought to be in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, published in 1837.

Then in the 1850s street traders sold pieces of fried fish with cooked potato shavings wrapped in newspapers on the streets of London.

But a Jewish immigrant, Joseph Malin, is thought to have opened the first fish and chip shop in about 1860 in east London.

Staff at Frackle Fryers were joined by stalwart poppy seller Harry Merryweather, who remembers when people used to call Flackwell Heath 'Frackle' and helped choose the shop's name five years ago.

Mr Merryweather said: “It's been a focal point for people in the village and we've have welcomed it since Dal took over.”

He said he remembers it being a gift shop before it turned in 'Mrs Chippy'.

Mr Singh, who has a daughter at Carrington Junior School, has also started selling Southern Fried Chicken from Thursday to Saturday and said “it's tastier than KFC I'm not even joking.”

The 34-year-old added: “There's a real community feel in Flackwell Heath and I know all my customers.”

He also thanked Giggles Party and Fancy Dress Shop on Swains Lane for providing the costumes.

Dal's brother, Gav Singh, runs Marlow Bottom Fish Bar.