Police were reportedly called after a pizza shop opened in 'Britain's fattest town' caused residents to descend on the area.

A Domino's branch opened in Whitehaven, Cumbria, where public health statistics have recorded the highest level of obesity in the country.

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The shop announced it would be giving 100 pizzas away for free to mark its opening.

The declaration reportedly caused drivers to leave their cars in the road and pushing and shoving to break out between customers for a place in the queue.

"The town was ridiculed for being the fattest in England and this is the result when a new pizza shop opens," an eyewitness told The Sun.

"Police were called because of the sheer volume of greedy people pushing and shoving."

Domino's said they were "delighted" by the "enthusiastic welcome" for their shop.

But Whithaven's mayor, Raymond Gill, said there were already enough fast food restaurants in his town.

"I am not having a go at Domino's but it is terrible how many kebab shops and pizza outlets there are now," he said. "It's a shame now people don't really cook. There is nothing the council can do. There's an obesity problem across the country."

A 2014 survey by Public Health England found Copeland, a borough of Whitehaven, found 75.9% of people were overweight or obese.

But obesity is not a problem restricted to just this one town.

Across the UK, 58% of women and 68% of men are obese, according to the latest NHS figures.

There were also high numbers of obese children recorded in the review, with around 20% of pupils aged four to five were overweight in 2015-16.

Obesity