COLOURFUL little pigs are being spotted all over Otley - and they’re helping keep people safe.

The Otley Maker Space Safety Pig is the latest creation of volunteers who have been working hard to produce PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) throughout the COVID-19 lockdown.

Members of the Maker Space, which is based at Otley Courthouse, have made face visors, scrubs and face masks to help protect local NHS staff and carers as they have worked through the pandemic.

Now they have turned their attention to producing a small device that is intended to keep vulnerable residents in particular, and those who work with them, safe.

Shaped like a hand-sized piglet the Safety Pig - which comes in a variety of colours - allows users to carry out a range of tasks - from picking up a carrier bag to typing in numbers on a keypad - without making direct contact.

Otley Maker Space’s press officer, Andrea Petch, said: “Now people are out and about again make sure you are never without your Otley Maker Space safety pig. They keep you safe by letting you put your index finger through the hole in their face which allows you to open doors and pick up bags without having to touch them.

“They also let you use their ear or snout to press keypads.

“We have a growing herd including the original blue boar and Yorkshire grey - and introducing our new limited edition, rare breed rainbow pigs. Each pig comes in its own sty or a brand new pig bag, especially for the dads out there.”

Production of the pigs has been led by Dave Turnell who was inspired after spotting a similar device that had been produced by a ‘maker’ on the continent.

He said: “I had always been interested in 3D printing but thought the best way to learn about it was to join a group like Maker Space.

“As the demand for visors dropped and visor production slowed we saw that an Austrian maker had posted a design for a Savegrabber, a handheld hook for opening doors and pressing buttons without touching.

“I printed a modification of this design and the Otley Maker Space Safety Pig came in to being.”

The pigs are available from Otley Maker Space’s base - which has now partially reopened to members - and some have already been ‘farmed out’ to Otley Action For Older People.

Members of the public can collect masks, visors and safety pigs between 10am and noon on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays with the Maker Space operating on a ‘pay as you feel basis’ - and all proceeds going to fund further production.

An instructional video entitled Pigs In Maker Space, meanwhile - featuring ten year old George Petch and produced by his sister, Eleanor - can be viewed at https://youtu.be/U0Q4p_FKVag.