A couple from Cross Hills hope that their invention to speed the recovery of foot injuries will go into production over the next six months.

Ted and Liz Whitlock have been working on the 'Ped-Well' - which they describe as 'fluid assisted exercise therapy boots.'

The boots - a prototype was made with wellington boots - would be worn by people to speed the later stages of recovery for foot related injuries.

Mr Whitlock explains: "The boots are filled with a warm medicated fluid and worn to speed recovery and give comfort to people with injuries to their feet.

"The idea came when my wife fell over and hurt her foot, when her pot cast came off she wore the Ped-Well boot prototypes which reduced the swelling.

"She wore them for five weeks for about an hour a day.

"The swelling reduced and the stiffness lessened."

She says: "They are clumsy but they certainly worked and I couldn't have done without them."

Mr Whitlock, who worked in engineering before his retirement, says: "The medicated fluid slowly washes out wounds and stops bandages and dressings having to be ripped off.

"The fluid supports the feet and helps with rehabilitation as the patient can wear the boots to exercise in."

The Whitlocks say a consultant surgeon at Leeds General Infirmary said the boot could help with the later stages of ankle and foot rehabilitation. The boots are going into production by a company called Bata Ltd and the couple hope that the finished boot will be ready in six to eight months.