By ANDREW LEVY

Last updated at 01:28 21 February 2008

Hands free: Albert Martin shows off his invention

Ever get tired of carrying the shopping home? Albert Martin did - so he's come up with a solution which he hopes will make him bags of money.

The 87-year-old is so confident about his labour-saving device that he believes he could be a millionaire by the time he is 90.

Drawing inspiration from braces and using his wife's skills on her sewing machine, the former Royal Marine has created Martin's Hands-Free Harness.

It slips over the shoulders and lets you hang heavy shopping bags on two hooks near your waist.

Mr Martin, a retired postal worker from Benfleet, Essex, said: "When you carry plastic bags your fingers go numb, you keep moving the bags to different fingers but eventually you drop your bags and lose all your shopping.

"I decided I would make a harness with two hooks to hang your bags on instead. I find it comfortable to carry two bags on each side.

"There's a strap over your shoulders with a hook on either end to carry your shopping and a strap across the back to stop you losing your bags if you lean forward."

The contraption, made from 2in-wide nylon seatbelt strapping and two strong clasps from dog leads, came together with the help of his wife Rowina.

Mr Martin said: "We made it in the garage. My wife got her sewing machine out and away we went.

"It's so comfortable you wouldn't know you have got it on, you can wear it under your coat.

"I do get a few funny looks and a smile from people, but I think it's the ideal solution to a problem.

"It's perfect for people with arthritis in their hands or bad joints.

"You can carry your shopping and wipe your nose, eat fish and chips or talk on the phone at the same time.

"It's great for mums holding their children's hands - you could even hold a baby at the same time as carrying your shopping. You could also use it for laptop cases and other bags."

The great-grandfather has secured a patent for his invention and has written to the major supermarkets offering them the chance to buy the rights to make and sell it.

"There's a big market for it," he said. "All around the world, people carry their shopping in bags."

Mr Martin said each set would sell for around £6. But he does not intend keeping for himself the riches he hopes to make.

"It's all come a bit late in life for me, but I have told my three grandsons they can have the money," he said.

A Tesco spokesman said: "This sounds like a really interesting invention. We'd be happy to hear more about it and see its practical application."