SCENTED envelopes and safety gates for babies were among the inventions trialled at an event for innovators from across the North West.

The Saturn Centre, a Blackburn College campus site in Challenge Way, Blackburn, hosted the inventors convention over the weekend for Ideas North West Limited.

The company, set up in 2001, is a self-help support group for inventors, run by a committee of elected inventors.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has supported the project and helped four inventors develop, patent, and market their ideas.

Among those at the event was Andy McEvoy, from Blackburn, who has invented a spike for a bass guitar, which means it can be played upright.

Simon Liddiard, 35, of Cherry Tree, Blackburn invented a trap sheet which prevents compressed waste falling from lorries in transit and is being trialled by Biffa and SITA UK, both waste services organisations.

Mr Liddiard said: "I worked for Biffa and noticed the trap sheets only covered the sides of the vehicles and I knew that drivers had concerns the waste they were supplying might fall from the bottom of the sheet whilst they are driving.

"I thought the company might invent something themselves, they didn't so I developed the trap sheet to trap waste."

Another inventor Derek Roberts, 59, of Darwen, created a Spinit fishing lure which holds natural bait and propels through the water to catch predatory fish.

Carl Harrison, 40, from Blackburn, engineered a cost effective way of extending concrete fences without knocking them down and building another with a metal post which fits over an existing concrete one.

Steve Catterall, SSCA Holdings, created a baby gate which prevents people tripping over the bar which runs across the bottom by moving the bar under the step rather than on top as other baby gates do.

Paul White, innovation and technology manager for Blackburn with Darwen Council and honorary member of Ideas North West Limited, said: "The best ideas are the ones where you think surely someone has invented that' and we find after research the majority of the time no one has.

"And ideas are created out of the concept that there is an easier way to do a particular job."

Councillor Any Kay said: "We have to promote ideas and new inventions instead of standing still. Conventions like this and Ideas North West Limited will hopefully create an atmosphere where we can think about innovation and innovating our lives.

"I worked for Philips in quality and measurement and we need to encourage people to think outside the box."