A secondary school is coming to the rescue of hard-pressed GPs, hospitals and healthcare workers.

Westlands School in Sittingbourne, is turning out free plastic face mask visors in the battle against the spread of coronavirus.

They are made on a desktop 'factory' by head of design technology Pete Abel working under the banner of Westlands Technologies.

Just before Easter he produced a batch of 80 for Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital, GP surgeries and staff at Bluebird Care Swale which helps people in their own homes.

He then rustled up another consignment of face shields for Medway Maritime Hospital at Gillingham.

Mr Abel, 31, who has been teaching at Westlands for eight years, said: "I got the idea from my old school Chatham House Grammar in Ramsgate. When I saw what they were doing to help the community I realised we had similar equipment at Westlands."

He drives from his home in Margate to make the masks.

He said: "It is a very small room so there is only space for me. But I am sure when this is all over I shall devise projects for the pupils based on what I have learned."

Parents, staff and businesses have rallied round to donate cash for raw materials which include polypropylene for the headbands and clear PVC for the visors.

Mr Abel has adapted a design issued by one of his school's suppliers and makes the masks using a 3D printer and a laser cutter. Since he started he has created an estimated 600 masks.

All have been donated to worthy causes.

He said: "I started by ringing round or emailing GP surgeries, care homes and hospitals and people started emailing me back with their orders."

A spokesman for Bluebird Care, which serves Sittingbourne, surrounding villages, the Isle of Sheppey and Faversham, said: "We'd like to thank Peter and Westlands Technologies for kindly donating these resources made from donated items to help protect our staff who are working to ensure the elderly and vulnerable get the care they need."

The University of Kent has made 300 sets of 3D-printed face shields to protect staff working at Pilgrims Hospices during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Colleagues from Kent’s School of Computing, School of Architecture and Planning and the School of Engineering and Digital Arts E collaborated to design and supply the personal protective equipment (PPE) for East Kent's largest hospice charity.

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