THEY were painting the restaurant red and white at Boswell's in Eastleigh to mark the kick-off of England's Euro 2004 football campaign in Portugal - and raise cash for the NSPCC.

Flags were being flown at the eatery in the town's Swan shopping centre, staff were resplendent in England shirts, there were England cakes and doughnuts bearing the cross of St George and the names Owen and Beckham while even the gingerbread men wore numbers.

Meanwhile, customers could be patriotic and get their faces painted in exchange for a £1 donation to the NSPCC.

The idea came from manager Christine Cookson, who said: "The football was starting and we thought: 'Let's go with it and raise some money for charity at the same time.'"