NIGERIAN international and Middlesbrough defender Kenneth Omeruo celebrated his country’s national day with a firm of Darlington solicitors.

The World Cup star, loaned to Boro by Chelsea, dropped into Macks' solicitors offices to enjoy homecooked Nigerian food in celebration of the anniversary of Nigeria achieving independence from Britain in 1960.

Family law specialist Amanda Adeola was up at 5.30am to cook enough food for all 60 employees in the firm’s three offices in Darlington, Middlesbrough and Redcar.

Omeruo, a first team regular and fans’ favourite since joining Boro on loan in January, enjoyed the occasion and said: “I think it’s a really nice thing to do.

“I didn’t expect anything like this to be going on and was asking the club if we even had any Nigerians here in Darlington.

“It’s really good to celebrate because it’s only once a year and it’s very important in our history.

“In Nigeria it’s a holiday and there are lots of parades and everyone gets to be with their family.

“It’s a big event.”

The Nigerian Community on Teesside group (NICOT) are holding a party on Saturday, but as Omeruo will be tied up trying to help Boro beat Fulham at the Riverside, he won’t be able to join them.

So Mrs Adeola decided it would be nice to invite him to pop along after training at nearby Rockliffe Park, with staff at Macks all wearing Nigerian colours of green and white to add to the occasion.