INVENTOR Mike Madden has had one of his brightest ideas yet.
Mike, 50, of Honley, has made an ingenious device for removing and putting in lightbulbs.
The idea came to Mike while he was balancing on a banister at home, trying to replace the landing lightbulb.
He said: "If I had fallen off I could have broken a leg. I thought `what am I doing?' "
He quickly knocked together a device consisting of a pole with a funnel at at the top. The funnel is lined with plastic to grip the light bulb while it is pulled out or pushed in.
Another pole has a small ring at the top and is used to hold the light fitting wire steady while the bulb is changed.
Mike said: "So far, I've just been using it myself at home. But if anyone wants one making I can do it for them.
"I think it will be fantastic for elderly people, because it's dangerous for them to be climbing on chairs to change bulbs."
Mike and designer Mohammed Irfan - who are colleagues at Milnsbridge metal- work firm MCC Techniques - are now working on making the invention work on all light fittings.
They are also fine-tuning its looks.
Mike said: "The one I have was made of bits and bobs from home.
"I have been inventing for years. I have made fish walkers, bubble suits, mobile bird-tables - crazy stuff. But this time it's serious. This time next year I could be a millionaire."
