Tool Box: Not so hard to handle

AMONG my wife's interests is raising money for Derwen College in Oswestry, Shropshire, an admirable institution that provides vocational training for youngsters with a wide range of learning difficulties and disabilities. Since the college's facilities and enterprises include a garden centre, I have in turn developed an interest in garden tools for people who have difficulty with conventional implements.

A neat, versatile answer to many problems comes from Stirex, a Swedish company whose products are imported by Damar International. Brian Martin, Damar's managing director, says: 'We are getting involved with elderly, arthritic and disabled customers who still want to work in the garden.'

The Stirex PGB is a plastic pistol-grip attachment that makes the use of many horticultural and domestic implements much easier. It is attached by a pair of 'Jubilee' clips, which can be adjusted to fit handles between 19mm and 28mm in diameter. The PGV version is for implements with handles with diameters from 26mm to 38mm.

The usual price of pounds 14.40 (plus VAT and postage) has been slashed to an all-inclusive pounds 7 for the benefit of Tool Box readers.

Damar International, 45 Humberstone Drive, Leicester LE5 ORE (0533 764144).

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