A retired engineering salesman has come up with a plan he hopes will revolutionise the humble toilet.

Frank Lawson, 86, turned his hand to inventing more than 20 years ago.

With his latest scheme he hopes to do away with the conventional toilet cistern.

Instead he believes a special tap can be installed, which with one small turn will release water into the toilet and then be turned off again when it is full.

Mr Lawson, of Southfields Road, Ardingly, said getting rid of cisterns would create more space in bathrooms.

He said: "I am hoping someone might get in touch and pick up my idea."

Mr Lawson does not want to reveal the inner workings for fear his invention could be poached.

The flushing system is one of several ideas he has dreamed up.

He has drawn up diagrams for a food tray which the user wears over their shoulders and can carry around, and a back-scrubbing gadget.

Mr Lawson, moved to England from Canada, where he had worked as a gold and coal miner, in 1941.

He believes inventing is a gift. He said: "I get a tremendous buzz from it."