THREE Italian cousins have opened an online pizza takeaway – from their aunt’s back garden.

Dino Clark, Connor Close and Callum Tombs are using an authentic pizza oven in the back garden of their aunt, Antonia Sotgiu, in Bolton.

Cugini is inspired by the trio’s Italian roots, especially their grandfather, who ran Salvatore’s in Westhoughton.

Dino, 19, is studying nutrition at university, 27-year-old Connor is a sports coach, and 26-year-old Callum is the family’s chef as he trained at culinary school and has worked from the age of 13 in the restaurant industry.

Callum, who taught himself how to make pizza using an oven at their aunt’s house and passed this on to his cousins, said: “We’re a new takeaway pizza business born out of lockdown in January.

“We are just three cousins making authentic pizza from our wood fired pizza oven in our aunty’s back garden in Harwood.

“Our Nonno, Salvatore Sotgiu, came from Italy in the 60s and opened one of Bolton’s first Italian restaurants, Salvatore’s, which is now Casa Nostra in Westhoughton. Although the Cuginis are born in bred in Bolton, which we’re proud of, we have been brought up with a passion for Italian food and especially pizza.”

The three have a passion for making pizza and try to not leave a mess.

Connor said: “Our aunt doesn’t mind at all, she really supports us. The pizza oven is Callum’s, so he taught us all how to use it and here we are. We’d love to be able to buy a building in the future, but currently we love how we operate and it’s really an amazing feeling when people love it.”

Their pizza menu includes a ‘duckin’ell’, a hoisin sauce base with fior di latte cheese, and shredded crispy duck. The venture runs on Saturday nights and customers book a time slot via Facebook or Instagram to collect their pizza at a time that suits them.

Connor added: “We’ve had amazing feedback and many have said it’s the best pizza they have ever had.”

To see the menu, go to their Instagram page @cuginipizza