LEDBURY'S Tony Botsman, who invented an inflatable conveyor belt to help with fruit-picking, has been given a £10,000 grant to develop the project.

Mr Botsman was one of 55 Midlands companies to receive European funding from Malvern-based Regional Technology Exchange Services.

The invention, known as the Aeropick, catches fruit when it is shaken off a tree and then transports it to be packaged.

The money will help him to protect the intellectual property rights to the Aeropick and to obtain a British patent. He will launch the system commercially at the end of the month.