TWIN chefs who have brought a taste of Italy to Newport for nearly two decades are to auction a six-foot Christmas tree made of chocolate for charity this festive season.

A dozen staff at Gemelli restaurant, in Newport Retail Park, spent weeks creating the treat comprising delicious white, dark and milk chocolate.

Italian restaurateurs Sergio and Pasquale Cinotti, 42, plan to auction the chocolate tree before December 23.

Proceeds of the sale will go to a charity set to be chosen next week.

This week Pasquale Cinotti said: “To make the spheres, the baubles, is a very, very delicate job. It takes a long time.

“My 10-year-old son Francesco participated.

“Over the weekend, he’s been coming over and I have been passing on the passion for patisserie work to him.

“It is the first time we have made a chocolate tree.

“I was challenged by one of our customers.

“It will be nice to see one charity benefit from this.”

The Cinotti brothers opened their first restaurant in Bridge Street, Newport, in 1996.