HATHERLEIGH mayor Dennis Bater has added another string to his bow by becoming the inventor of a nifty device for watering hanging baskets.
'It's a simple idea I just thought up in the car between Follygate and Hatherleigh,' said the postman and fish and chip shop owner.
Baffled by the lack of watering devices at the local garden centres Mr Bater realised all that was needed was a bottle on a stick and voila! His idea is now on the production line.
The Hatherleigh resident's Watering Arm consists of a green, plastic 'shoe' into which is slotted a two-pint plastic milk bottle at the end of a 4ft broom handle.
'It took me ten minutes to make the prototype and I tried it out at home and in the street,' said Mr Bater. 'It worked perfectly and unlike using a watering can there was no splash and no need for a step ladder
'People started coming up to me and saying it was a good idea and I should patent it — so I did.'
The invention is being manufactured at the Injection Moulding Company in Moretonhampstead and the initial production run is for 1,500. Mr Bater has invested £2,500 in his invention which includes its production and patent.
Company owner Graham Hester said the product should have a lot of mileage in it because it really did work well.
'Of all the gadgets I have been involved with and believe me I have seen some crazy ones this is one of the better ones,' he said.
'The material we are using to make the 'shoe' is re-processed so it will appeal to people concerned about the environment.'
The Watering Arm also makes good use of recyclable milk bottles.
Mr Bater hopes garden centres will snap up his product which is expected to retail around £6: 'Whenever I see people with hanging baskets now I think 'there's a potential customer,' he added.
'There are a lot more hanging baskets around these days — it's a growing market!'