A BRADFORD-born inventor has created a new product to help solve the age-old problem of not being able to get the last drop of toothpaste out of its tube.

Adam Sutcliffe, 43, from Nab Wood, Shipley, has invented the Squidger, a cheap device which he says will help thrifty people save money and also help to protect the environment.

The Squidger, which costs £4.99, fits tubes ranging from 75 millilitres to 150ml, whether they be toothpaste, make up, or creams.

It allows people to get every last ‘squidge’ of cream out of their tube, without having to cut them open or roll them up to force the cream out.

Mr Sutcliffe was a pupil at St Cuthbert and the First Martyrs Primary School, Cottingley Manor Middle School, and St Bede’s Grammar School, before studying mechanical engineering at Imperial College London, and going on to do a Masters at the Royal College of Art.

He said the idea for the Squidger was brought to him by writer Clare Milford Haven who dreamt the idea up while chatting at the kitchen table one evening with her friend, professional chef Phillipa Ravenscroft, and deciding something had to be done.

The Squidger can extract up to 20 per cent more paste from a tube than you can get manually.

Mr Sutcliffe said: “There are about 25 billion tubes sold every year, so you thought somebody would have solved this problem by now, but Clare came to me with the problem and I’ve managed to solve it.

“It will save people money and do a bit to save the environment.

“By getting the most out of their tubes, people will be able to buy less, and there will be less waste.

“The packaging is all recyclable and we are working towards using more recycled plastic in the product to make it even more environmentally friendly.”

The product is currently only available online at squidger.co.uk, but in the New Year Mr Sutcliffe is hoping to get his invention in major stores.

He said becoming an inventor has been his life’s ambition ever since he was a child.

“I’ve always wanted to be an inventor,” he continued.

“Every science or design teacher I have had has inspired me; it’s been my dream since I was four years old playing with Lego and I’ve managed to make my dreams a reality.”

Other products Mr Sutcliffe has invented include the Spoutnik, a spherical microwave, a medical cleanliness device, and a manual washing machine for Unilever, aimed at people in Africa and South America.