RESTAURANT staff have gone the eggs-tra mile in a nationwide competition to collect sweet treats for poorly youngsters.

Workers at Toby Carvery outlets across the country have been set a challenge by bosses to gather chocolate eggs and then hand them to a deserving children's charity of their choice.

The team at the White Hart in London Road, Stanway, believe they have the most of any branch in the country after collecting more than 450 sweet treats.

The incredible chocolate stash is set to be handed to the Little Havens Children Hospice in time for the Easter celebrations.

Sam Paterson, who works in the front of house team at the restaurant, praised colleagues and customers for their donations which means they had egg-celled past the original target.

She said: "We eventually set ourselves a target of 400.

"We are all so proud of what we have done.

"It was originally suggested we get to 200 but we really wanted to smash it out of the park and get as many as we can.

"A post went out on the restaurant's Facebook page just asking guests and staff to donate any Easter eggs if they could.

"We knew we were neck and neck with the restaurant in Chelmsford but we have really smashed it out of the park.

"Everyone got involved and we even had a massive donation from the supermarket Aldi to help us out.

"Lots of people have gone out of their way to get involved and get as many eggs as we can.

"Everyday people have been asking, what else can we do?"