A SNACK van owner is celebrating a quarter of a century of frying eggs, sausage and bacon in a village market square - thanks to a helping hand from HRH Prince Charles.

Mother-of-two Sue Heywood, proprietor of Sue’s Cumbria Snack Bar in Milnthorpe, will toast her hot food takeaway’s silver anniversary on April 9. The 52-year-old’s freshly griddled breakfast buns have earned countless loyal fans as far afield as the USA. She bought her first catering trailer with £1,000 from the Prince’s Trust plus a £1,500 loan.

Miss Heywood originally served customers from a layby on the A590 near Levens. She was thrilled to be offered a permanent pitch behind the old Spar store in The Square, Milnthorpe, where she has been brewing tea since 1995.

“The best part has been meeting some of the most wonderful people,” said Miss Heywood, who is helped on weekdays by colleague Claire Dixon, as well as by her two children at the weekends - Jessie and Sam Barton, aged 15 and 16.

“Everybody comes. We get older retired people, we get bikers, push-bikers, caravanners, parents going up to Dallam School watching football; we get them all.”

On Sunday mornings villagers even turn up with their own plates to be filled with the traditional full English. In a typical week she cooks 360 eggs, 20 packs of rindless back bacon and 600 pork sausages. Suppliers include David Willan of Oxenholme, More? the Artisan Bakery of Staveley and Milnthorpe butcher Stuart Smith.

Miss Heywood overcame the heartbreak of her van being stolen in May 2000. She returned with a new trailer and said her business was originally inspired by her mum, Pauline Heywood, who ran Newby Bridge filling station’s café.

After 25 years of standing in all weathers from 8am to 3pm, seven days a week, Miss Heywood said she would now consider selling up. “If the right person came along at the right price, I would let it go," she said.

She said she would love to work part-time and return to her hobby of painting.

“I don’t think you’ll ever take the bacon or the fish and chips out of Britain," she said.