AN inventor from St Osyth hopes to scoop a share of a £1million cashpot put up by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson.

Andrew Haynes, 59, of Wall Street, Lee-over-sands, has put forward his smart extractor fan for the Pitch to Rich competition, organised by Virgin Media Business.

Mr Haynes has created an intelligent window control and extractor fan, which can be wirelessly interlinked with smoke and gas alarms to expel smoke or gas in an emergency.

Mr Haynes came up with the idea after working with the Bridge Housing Trust, a housing association with homes in Jaywick.

After five years, his prototype Actifan is ready for mass production, but Mr Haynes is looking for funding.

Each hi-tech unit will cost between £100 and £150 to produce.

“Actifan can definitely save lives,” he said. “It can do many things, but its claim to fame will be the gas and fire safety aspect.

“It fits to sloping or vertical windows and the fan responds when linked with a wireless smoke or gas alarm to fan out smoke.

“It is becoming increasingly more popular for attic spaces to be used as bedrooms and they are usually used for children, so Actifan has huge potential to save lives.”

Mr Haynes' company has now been shortlisted as one of 150 businesses across the country in with a chance of winning £150,000 in the contest.

Nine finalists will make their pitch to Sir Richard on live television on June 26. The contest is aimed at helping new businesses, innovations and inventions and the prize includes massive advertising campaigns.

To vote for Mr Haynes' idea, go to virginmediabusiness.co.uk/pitch-to-rich/start-up/actifan-limited/. The competition closes on Tuesday.

People can find out more about the invention at actifan.net/