AFTER 20 years of suffering, a former lorry driver has come up with a handy invention.

In 2009, Kevin De’Cort, of the Chase, Rayleigh, left his job as a haulage driver to pursue his dream of becoming an inventor.

His idea was to solve the problems lorry drivers face when refuelling their engines and came up with the Fuelgrip. This holds the pump trigger and handle while filling up a vehicle to stop the driver getting handcramps.

It went on sale early this year and has already been snapped up by thousands of drivers.

Mr De’Cort said: “We started selling it in January and they have been going like hotcakes.

“We had a stall at a truck festival in Peterborough and sold thousands. A lot of drivers I’ve spoken to have said they love it.”

The grip is made out of plastic and is small enough to fit into a vehicle’s fuel cap. It costs £2.99.

Mr De’Cort said he decided to invent the product after his experience as a lorry driver.

He said: “Lorries usually have fuel tanks about 500 litres in size, with some models going up to 1,000 litres. Filling them right up can take 15 to 20 minutes.

“This means you have to hold down the trigger for ages. It can really hurt your hand and cause problems, so I thought there must be a better way.

“You have to stay by your pump, but your hands are free and it sorts out the problem of cramping them up. It would also be a useful tool for motorists who suffer from arthritis and other conditions.”

For more details, go to www.fuelgrip.com