Authentic Italian pizza beckons at a new street food van which has been launched by a couple after they were made redundant.

North Norfolk News: Darren and Claire Cameron from Horning have launched their Monzu Wood Fired Pizza food van. Picture: Supplied by the CameronsDarren and Claire Cameron from Horning have launched their Monzu Wood Fired Pizza food van. Picture: Supplied by the Camerons (Image: Archant)

Darren, 49, and Claire Cameron, 45, have spent more than £40,000 of savings having a van kitted out with a wood-fired oven and other equipment so they can make pizzas just like they do in Naples.

The couple, from Horning, launched Monzu Wood Fired Pizza last month after a couple of years cooking up their plans.

Mr Cameron said: “We know the area, we liked the flexibility of it and the way we’ll be able to move around and visit some of those places we enjoy visiting.

“I’m also at an age where I wanted to be self-employed and have more independence. Because we’re wood fired it means we don’t have to plug in anywhere.

North Norfolk News: Darren and Claire Cameron from Horning have launched their Monzu Wood Fired Pizza food van. Picture: Supplied by the CameronsDarren and Claire Cameron from Horning have launched their Monzu Wood Fired Pizza food van. Picture: Supplied by the Camerons (Image: Archant)

“We were hoping to get going over the summer - because of the lockdown there was a delay. But it actually gave us a bit more time to get things right.”

Mr Cameron had been made redundant from his job in production at Colman’s Mustard plant in Norwich, which closed its doors earlier this year, and Mrs Cameron also took redundancy from a job at a shop in the city.

They have so far started serving at Horning Village Hall on Tuesday and Saturday evenings and Hoveton Village Hall on Thursday and Friday.

MORE: Taxi man launches new gourmet fish and chip vanMr Cameron said they were able to make more than 25 pizzas per hour, with a 10-15 wait time for each customer.

He said the process involved making the dough by hand, and they were usually selling around 60 pizzas over a four-hour window.

Mr Cameron said: “It has been hard work, but we’ve had lots of support from people around Hoveton and Horning. There’s been a good community feel and we’ve got lots of regular customers already.

“Because of the time of year, we’re ticking over, but we’re hoping when the summer season starts it will be quite exciting.

Food vans were on-trend even before the pandemic, and now, with their flexibility and ease of social distancing they are becoming even more popular.