RESTAURANT staff giving free food to homeless people to combat the cold “are doing their human duty”.

Ada Coban, manager of Mezzom in South Woodford, says she felt she had to feed those in need, regardless of their personal problems.

The Turkish restaurant manager launched the campaign last week when Britons battled icy weather brought by “the beast from the east”.

Since it launched, homeless people have come to the restaurant and eaten whatever they like from the menu for free.

Ms Coban, who lives in Palmers Green, was inspired to help when she felt the chilly effects of Siberian winds.

The restaurant manager says: “I was having a cigarette and I thought I couldn’t stand here for more than two minutes.

“There are a lot of homeless people out there so I thought I am going to bring people in.” sit them down and fill them up with warm food.”

Seeing unfortunate people enjoy a moment of respite is a bittersweet experience for the restaurant manager.

Ms Coban says: “I was devastated to see so many homeless people come in but at the same time you feel happy and proud because you have fed them.”

“It’s not all about profit, we need to help the community. The community pays my employees’ salaries.

“They are hungry people and I am not going to turn them away because of how they look. It doesn’t matter if they’re alcoholics or have drug addictions, our job, our duty as human beings is to help them.

“If you can’t, what are we here for?”

Ms Coban, who has managed the restaurant for two years, vowed to continue with the initiative “until the weather calms down”.