A man from Cleeve is striving to provide front-line NHS staff with vital equipment to protect them from the coronavirus, one face shield at a time.

3D printing enthusiast Jay Yendole, has turned his home into a face shield factory, keeping his printer going day and night, and shipping the masks to key workers in need across the country, for free.

He said: “I got into 3D printing about three years ago, before the pandemic started I used to mainly use my printer for making models and statues I would then paint.

“I saw on a 3D printing Facebook group that people were printing face shields and I wanted to do something to help.

“The government has not done enough and is leaving NHS staff with only paper masks which are not good enough and putting them at risk.”

3D printers create physical objects by spraying thin layers of plastic or other materials to slowly build up components based on a computer model, which are then constructed.

Mr Yendole said he had offered masks to Weston General Hospital, but it was unable to take them due to having to follow procurement rules.

However, after offering his services on an NHS coronavirus group, he has been inundated with requests.

He said: “I can make about 10 a day at the moment with the printer running all the time.

“So far I have supplied 10 masks to Mendip Vale surgeries, and they are waiting on another 10.

“I have also been contacted by staff at a hospital in Southend and at another in Scotland, where I was told it is so bad some staff are using welding masks to protect themselves.”

“The biggest problem I’m facing is sourcing enough materials, and packaging.

“Amazon has the things I need to make the masks, but they’re not essential so there’s a week’s delay on shipping. I’m going to keep making masks for as long as I can, hopefully until they can find a cure, and providing them to whoever needs them for free.”

Front-line staff interested in receiving a face mask can contact Jay via his Facebook page – 3D Jay.

Alternatively, those wanting to support his mask making efforts can do so by donating to his Amazon wishlist at www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/25A2E8S1NX6KV