A MALMESBURY sheet metal working company has invented a gadget to help prevent the spread of coronoavirus.

And it is proving so popular, orders are now coming in from as far afield as Dubai.

Sweetnam and Bradley, which has been in the town since 1955, has developed a product called the Koronagadget.

“It means you don’t have to touch surfaces such as, doors, drawers, pedestrian crossing buttons, door bells, ATM key pads,” said operations director Christian Olejnik.

“Sales have been going really well locally, and we think around one in ten people in this area now have one.

“We hope to push the product nationally now, but the success of it is beyond our wildest dreams.”

He said the idea came from the owner of the company, Nigel Roberts, who presented him with a cardboard cut out.

"He's quite an entrepreneurial chap," said Christian. "But the idea has turned out great. We have sold thousands of them."

The key fob gadget is finished in a polyester coating that uses a patented technology called SteriTouch®, which has antimicrobial properties.

Medical advice is to wash your hands often and not to touch your face to reduce the spread of microbes that can cause the illness.

But the producers of the multi-purpose tool say if you use it you will reduce the need to touch surfaces with your hands.

"We are not saying the gadget will prevent you from getting the virus," added Christian, but it will limit what surfaces you need to touch."

The company is one of Wiltshire’s leading sheet metal working companies.

It was set up in 1955 at Bristol Road, and in 1970 the company moved to a purpose built facility on the Gloucester Road Industrial Estate. It employs 40 people.

KoronaGadget is now available on www.koronagadget.com and is priced at £12 or £15 including the key fob winder.