A KIND takeaway owner is turning Santa for the day to bring festive fayre to pensioners living alone.

John Scott, who runs a fast food business on Belville Street, will deliver no less than 60 three-course dinners to lonely OAPs on Christmas Day.

The businessman issued an appeal for nominations, donations and drivers in the Telegraph in October and has had a fantastic response.

John said: "Lots of people said they would help me.

"I need 50 drivers and I should get that no bother.

"I've been taken aback but I also expected it, to be truthful.

"I think people in Greenock are good at rallying around."

The 48-year-old and his family will be busy in the kitchen on Christmas Eve and early the next morning to cook up soup, chicken and beef with all the trimmings, including roast potatoes and pigs in blankets and will serve up a delicious gateaux for desert.

Tesco staff donated £100 towards the cause, as did the TSB, and John also has a collection bucket on the premises.

His little helpers will distribute the food to pensioners in the east end, Carwood Court and the high flats in Port Glasgow.

John says that when he ran a window cleaning firm some elderly folk told him that he was the only person they had talked to in a month.

This inspired him to give something back to the community, especially at Christmas time when some people are on their own.

He said: "There's a lot of old people out there living on their own.

"I feel nervous and excited at the same time about doing this.

I've never done anything like it before."

If anyone wants to help John with his effort, they should call him on 07391075494.