A new Aldi store has opened in Totton - welcoming shoppers for the first time.

The supermarket opened in Salisbury Road on Little Testwood Farm on Thursday, December 12 at 8am.

The store is the first Aldi to open in the area, and it will be run by store manager Dan Jollie, alongside a team of 24 local employees.

To celebrate the opening, ParalympicsGB gold medallist Aaron Phipps gave away free bags of fresh fruit and vegetables to the first 30 customers in the queue.

He also delivered an assembly for pupils at Calmore Infant School, talking about the benefits of healthy eating, exercise, and his experience as a Paralympian.

Aldi's new store offers a range of features such as large chillers and freezers for fresh British meat products, a 'Food to Go' section, and a health and beauty products section.

Customers can also find Specialbuys available every Thursday and Sunday.

Store Manager Dan Jollie said: "It’s been a wonderful morning here at the opening of Aldi Totton. It was lovely to welcome our new customers into store, and I look forward to meeting more of the community in the coming weeks. I’m also thrilled that we’ve been able to support Calmore Infant School through our partnership with ParalympicsGB."

ParalympicsGB star Aaron Phipps said: "I’ve had a fantastic time opening the new Aldi this morning. It was an honour to officially open the store and welcome customers inside for the first time.

"It was great to speak with the children at Calmore Infant School about the importance of eating healthily and how it can be fun to plan and prepare meals as a family. Hopefully I’ve also managed to inspire the pupils to keep active and try different sports."

Aldi is also asking local charities and food banks to register with Neighbourly, a platform that connects businesses with local charitable organisations.

Registered charities will be able to collect surplus food and perishable products seven days a week.

The new store is located on Little Testwood Farm, Salisbury Road, Calmore, Totton, SO40 2RW.

It will be open from 8am to 10pm, Monday to Saturday, and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays.