COULD the next Clive Sinclair be alive and well and living in Worcester?

Following in the footsteps of some of Britain's great inventors comes Luke Ingram, aged 19, a former Royal Grammar School student, who has already had his new idea patented.

Now, he is in the running for the prestigious Isambard Kingdom Brun-el engineering award, a nationally-acclaimed prize. Luke has invented a new type of marking gauge, to help ease the strain of DIY and woodwork. Luke, of Avenue Road, off Bransford Road, St John's, Worcester, invented the device while studying for his A-levels, and was inspired by memories of first year woodwork when he was too small to use a traditional marking gauge.

"I wanted to make something that was more compact and easier to use," said Luke. "I'm chuffed and I never thought I'd ever see it in the shops. I can't believe it. The patent certificate has taken about two years because we had to check that nothing had been done like this before."

A marking gauge is used to mark parallel lines on metal and wood and is one of the most important tools in carpentry. Luke hopes his creation will allow disabled people and children to work more easily.

The invention is being manufactured by Paul Wild of E&E engineering, on Worcester's Blackpole Trading Estate, whose help, Luke said, had been invaluable. The former Pitmaston Primary School pupil, who is now training to be a chef at Worcester College of Technology, is to go to the Science Museum in London later this month to find out whether he has won the £1,000 first prize. "When I finished designing it for my A-levels my tutor was impressed so encouraged me to patent it," said Luke. "It will be great to see the Ingram Marking Gauge in the shops one day soon."