A rapidly expanding pizza empire has unveiled plans to throw open its doors 24 hours a day to help boost trade.

Fireaway Pizza hopes to serve motorists around the clock at its Whitfield Service Station branch near Dover.

The 155 UK restaurant-strong firm hopes to build on previous success having recently made inroads into 14 Kent locations.

Situated next to a 24-hour McDonald’s and BP station, Fireaway’s busy fast-food drive-through is based off Sandwich Road and caters for traffic bound for the Port of Dover.

Station boss Kanagaratnam Rajaseelan told KentOnline he hopes to provide customers with a wider choice.

“The current limited opening hours have proved inconvenient to many people and restrict the choice on offer,” he say.

“If this application is successful, Fireaway will be able to deliver a better and more responsive service in line with customers’ expectations.”

The Dover restaurant opened in July last year with another recently earmarked for Sheerness.

Mr Rajaseelan added: “Fireaway has proved very successful since opening at Whitfield Service Station, providing a useful service both to local people and to the vast number of travellers who use this major through route serving Dover and the continent.

“The site itself is already open 24 hours a day, as is the other fast food restaurant on the site, and the application is intended to give service station users, both those en route to the continent and local people, a wider choice.”

The plan has been submitted to Dover District Council and a decision is expected by March 5.

The first Fireaway Pizza was opened in 2016 by Italian Mario Aleppo who wanted to bring better pizza to the UK.

It uses a recipe from Mr Aleppo’s Nonna brought over from the Amalfi Coast.

As well as traditional topping, it also offers Nutella pizzas and Vegan options.