An app which seeks to encourage English tourists to sample different food when away on holiday has been launched.

Computer Programmer David Sephton, of Braintree Road, Wethersfield, has created the Tick-Tack BonApp which aims to help English tourists better understand restaurant menus written in foreign languages.

The app can be used to translate and helps describe the contents of dishes.

Mr Sephton, 88, hopes his creation will allow tourists to branch out and sample food they would not otherwise have touched.

He said: “You will not have to spend your holiday living on pizza and cappuccino because those are the only items on the menu that you recognize.

“On your smartphone you type a few letters from any dish on the menu and it will display the names of all dishes containing those letters, in the way it is usually described in the cuisine in question, with a short clear description in English telling you what it is - not a list of ingredients, not a recipe, but just a few lines helping you decide whether to try it.

“If that dish doesn’t appeal to you, just select another dish.”

Mr Sephton, who runs Primrose Publishing, released a similar app earlier this year aimed at breaking down language barriers between doctors and patients.

He says his newest creation contains 4,000 different dishes which can be found across continental Europe.

He added: “Before you go abroad you can have fun deciding what dishes you would like to try during your holiday.

“It is a great way to spend time at the airport or during your flight, and an excellent way to learn about the cuisines of other countries.”

The app has launched on Google Play Store and the full version costs 75p.

For more details, visit 2clix.net/bonapp.