TWO former call centre workers have set up a new catering venture, with the blessing of pop star and DJ Boy George.

After deciding to set up in business together last May, Susan Killeen and Lynda Atherton celebrated the New Year by opening More Protein, a cafe and sandwich bar on Plodder Lane, Farnworth, following a £50,000 refurbishment.

Lynda said: "I am a big Boy George fan, and More Protein is the name of his record label. The internet domain name was free, but I emailed him anyway to ask if it was all right to use the name for our business, and we got one back from him saying go for it, girls.' We were delighted."

Susan said: "We met each other while working in the call centre, but both of us originally come from catering backgrounds. We knew we wanted to set up a business together, and we knew we wanted to go into catering of some sort."

When she was younger, Susan moved from a grocery shop in Nelson with her family to Prestwich golf club, where her mother was stewardess.

Lynda ran the Rostron Arms in Edenfield for some years, providing meals for functions such as weddings, birthdays, christening and funerals.

"One lady enjoyed her husband's funeral so much she booked the room again for her birthday a few weeks later."

Lynda said: "As well as our standard menu, we will have a sandwich of the day, which will be based on award-winning sandwiches, as judged by the British Sandwich Association. Once a month, we intend to produce our own version of the world's most expensive sandwich.

"A newspaper article said that the sandwich, which includes Wagyu beef, fresh lobe foie gras and black truffle mayonnaise, costs £85. We intend to make one for under £3."

A catering service will be launched later in the year with buffet-style menus for small dinner parties, and, from the end of January, the company will be offering a Christmas hamper scheme.

Lynda said: "People will get to choose what will be included in the hamper from a list, and all money paid into the scheme will go into an account used solely for purchasing goods. There is no risk of a Farepak-style problem."