A TRAINING company is helping to unlock the potential of its trainees by challenging them to design and create their own plastic products.

Polymer trainees at South West Durham Training, based in Newton Aycliffe, have responded by producing thousands of plastic door locks.

Now, rather than disposing of them, the company plans to give the products away to any organisations that can make use of them.

Chief executive Bob Waller said: "They are sturdy enough to secure a door against normal pressure but would give way if forced, making them an option where people want a degree of privacy but may need help such as residential homes or hospitals.

"I think it was quite an innovative idea and as we seem to have thousands of the things it's clear the trainees have acquired the skills to mould polymers."

South West Durham Training has seven trainees on its polymer processing foundation apprenticeship course, which was introduced to address the industries skills shortage.

For details of the course or the locks, call (01325) 313194.