A NEW design of washing machine created by a Suffolk-based businessman is set to hit the high streets. Entrepreneur and inventor Martin Myerscough came up with his futuristic-looking concept, aimed at taking the strain out of loading and unloading your wash, after chatting to a washing machine repairman.

A NEW design of washing machine created by a Suffolk-based businessman is set to hit the high streets.

Entrepreneur and inventor Martin Myerscough came up with his futuristic-looking concept, aimed at taking the strain out of loading and unloading your wash, after chatting to a washing machine repairman.

Features of his patent-protected machine include a large-scale aluminium door built to a high engineering specification and a removable drum which doubles as a washing basket and can be taken in and out with ease. The drum sits at an angle to make it easier to get in and out.

The headquarters of Titan Washing Machine Ltd is at Framlingham Technology Centre, although the models themselves are being made in the town of Zhongshan, west of Hong Kong.

Mr Myerscough, who lives in Woodbridge, has a number of business interests and is chairman of an art investment trust in London. He said he decided to take on the traditional models after realising that washing machine design had hardly changed since the 1960s.

“In the early 1960s, everything went onto front-loading machines. That was a big change, then we never really moved on,” he said.

“They are still basically a little door. They are quieter they have a faster spin speed. They are more refined, they are cheaper but basically they are the same concept, so I thought it's an area people obviously have to look at.”

The machine is due to be showcased at a Grand Designs show at the Birmingham NEC in October, and the company expects to be announcing a distributor shortly.

“We are at the moment talking to various distributors and stores. We have got a lot of interest from abroad,” he said. “Wherever you show it, people stop and look at it.”

His plans to make his own washing machine have been in the pipeline for about the past ten years and about 20 prototypes were made before deciding on the ideal design.

“What we were looking to do was to make it easier to use,” he explained.

He hopes to make an impact on the UK and European market with his product.

“There are two million units sold in the UK every year and 14 million sold across Europe,” he said.

“It's a very big market. All I know is wherever I go, it always attracts a lot of attention.”

He added: “I think it's a great product.”