CUSTOMERS at a petrol station can fuel themselves, as well as their cars.

Cleggs Lane Service Station, in Little Hulton, is the first official Change 4 Life shop in Salford, meaning it will promote healthy eating in the community.

It follows the launch of a similar scheme in Bolton in October, when NHS Bolton, the primary care trust, and Bolton at Home, joined forces to encourage more local stores to stock fruit and vegetables.

Bhojani Off Licence, in Johnson Fold, became one of the first stores to sign up.

Now the initiative is taking off in Salford, starting at the service station in Little Hulton, where it will be easier for people to stock up on their five-a-day.

Owner Sajid Ibrahim said: “I’m really proud to be the owner of Little Hulton’s very own Change 4 Life store.

“We will be encouraging people in the community to pick up some healthy food when they’re doing their shopping.

“We have already had some customers picking up fruit and vegetables and we hope it will become more popular.

“It’s nice to be helping the community stay healthy and it is good for business too.”

The shop now stocks cauliflowers, cabbages, tomatoes, apples, bananas, and other fruit and vegetables with the Change 4 Life branding.

It previously only sold potatoes and onions.

To mark the launch, children and parents from nearby Dukesgate Primary School were visited by fruit and vegetable characters spreading health messages.

They then had the chance to sample home-made soup, with subsidised soup bags, containing the ingredients and recipe, for just 50p.

NHS Salford, the area’s primary care trust, and Salford City Council, have worked together to set up the city’s first Change 4 Life store.

Alistair Fisher, NHS Salford health and wellbeing manager, said: “We hope once residents know they can buy quality fresh fruit and vegetables locally, they will find it that little bit easier to cook healthy meals for themselves, and their families.”

Cllr John Warmisham, the council’s lead member for adult social care, added: “These stores are all about making quality healthy food more accessible and affordable for local people, and the NHS/council partnership is working hard to make this happen.”

Change 4 Life was launched in 2008 to encourage people to eat better, and be more active