A former plumber from Stafford is in the running for a prestigious award for innovation after developing a groundbreaking device to help smokers kick the habit.

Tom Rowley, aged 61, from Littleworth, developed the “Six and Out” device after watching friends and family fail in their efforts to quit smoking.

The inventor uses a set of six cigarette holders, which introduce increasing amounts of air when the smoker draws on the cigarette, gradually reducing the quantities of smoke and nicotine being inhaled.

Starting with just one vent, the smoker can progress through to number six over a number of weeks, enabling them to wean themselves off cigarettes. Tom has now been recognised for his efforts with a shortlisting for the prestigious Lord Stafford Award.

The awards showcase the best in West Midlands collaboration between universities and businesses, with Tom nominated for an “Impact through Innovation” award. He will find out if he has won it at a ceremony in Worcester Cathedral on November 13.

Tom – who has never smoked and was forced to retire as a plumber due to ill health – was inspired to develop the product after he watched friends and family failing to quit through methods currently available.

The first version of the product, based on the lid of a ballpoint pen, was initially sketched out in his garage. Then Tom linked up with the Centre of Healthcare Innovation and Development at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton and the University of Wolverhampton to  develop the design.

With the help of the Manufacturing Advisory Service, the device ended up being produced by Powell and Harbour in Worcester.

Tom said: “The smoking ban, coupled with the economic situation at the moment, has led to a sharp increase in the number of people trying to stop the habit.

“There are all kinds of nicotine replacement products out there, such as patches and tablets, but all of them are substituting the nicotine from one source for another.

“Six and Out means that smokers can concentrate their efforts on gradually kicking the habit as they will slowly reduce the amount of nicotine and other harmful chemicals they are inhaling.

“This has proven to work on friends and family and we are now taking the product to the market where hopefully it can help others.”

More than 400 “Six and Out” Devices have been manufactured and, following successful completion of laboratory testing, it will shortly be entering three months of clinical trials.

Tom said: “If they pass, and I have every confidence they will, we can start seriously looking at how we sell them to the public.

“There is even talk that the NHS may use them as a prescription treatment to act as an alternative to the nicotine replacement help. If this happens, it will be huge.”

Patron of the awards, Lord Stafford, said: “Given the damage smoking does to the economy, I think Tom deserves huge credit for developing something that could have a massive impact.”