A Florida couple who have been feeding the homeless in Daytona Beach park for the past year have been slapped with fines and banned from serving up any more meals to those in need.

Retirees Debbie and Chico Jimenez have been hosting weekly soup kitchens for the homeless in Manatee Island Park in Daytona Beach for the past year.

Police say serving food without a licence to large crowds in a public place is illegal. The Jimenezes, who run a Christian ministry (named Spreading the Word, Without Saying a Word), often post videos of their feeding sessions on YouTube to promote their cause.

But last Wednesday, Daytona Beach Police descended on the site of the gatherings, giving a $300 fine each to the Jimenezes for breaking a local law that prohibits private individuals from feeding a crowd without permits.

Law enforcement officials also warned the couple that they could face jail time if they continue serving home-cooked meals to more than 100 homeless people at the park.

The husband and wife were given 10 days to either pay the fines or go to court, but Mrs Jimenez, a retired auto parts store manager, says she and her husband are preparing for a legal battle.

'The police don't like it. But how can we turn our backs on the hungry? We can't,' she told NBC News.

Officials in Daytona Beach say that what the Jimenez couple do not heed that their initiative may attract sex offenders, criminals and other undesirables to a public park intended for the use of families and children.

But the husband and wife say they believe that the city does not want them to feed the needy because it means fewer of them would seek help from government agencies, which rely on them for funding.

Watch what happens when the police arrive at their last session: