BOTTLES containing lifesaving information have been prepared for an innovative scheme being launched across Hambleton this summer.

As part of National Learning Disability Week, Mencap has helped members of the Hambleton Community Safety Partnership prepare the bottles for the project, called Message in a Bottle.

Adults on the Lifelong Learning course at Northallerton College have also lent a hand to label and fill the bottles at the college.

The scheme will encourage residents in the area to put emergency information inside the bottles, which will then be stored in the fridge for safe keeping.

The idea behind the project is to give the emergency services access to vital information in the event of an accident in the home. "Who would tell the emergency services what medication a person takes, what they are allergic too and what time the children need collecting from school?" asked partnership manager Chris Fields.

"The Message in a Bottle scheme addresses these problems and it prevents unnecessary, and potentially life-threatening, delays."

Sue Lear, Mencap development officer, said the scheme was very valuable for people with learning disabilities. The bottles will be distributed to people living in the community, those in supported accommodation, to carers and to people using the Mencap drop-in centre.

To register for the scheme, call Alison Oldfield on (01609) 767243 or Susan Moon on (01609) 767280.