MALMESBURY inventor Andrew Carnegie says an air filter machine he developed nearly 20 years ago is helping hospitals to fight coronavirus infection.

Now Mr Carnegie, 57, has now supplied the village shop in Great Somerford and the Volunteer Inn with his Air Sentry machine to help keep their customers safe.

He said: “The unique system, recently awarded design protection by the UK patent office,is normally used in hospitals to protect patents and staff from disease.

“During the coronavirus it has been used to protect staff in London intensive care units, special Covid wards and accident and emergency departments.

“The system is manufactured almost wholly in Wiltshire and is a Wiltshire innovation that has taken 20 years of working along side the NHS to bring to fruition.”

He is in talks with more hospitals about supplying the machines which cost up to £10,000. Over the past couple of months he has sold about 50 and expects sales to rocket following new medical advice about airborne particles which can cause coronavirus.

He said: “It is very exciting. Only now is evidence starting to emerge to show how my machine could help.” The village shop is now able to allow more people inside thanks to the machine and the pub also decided to hire one.