An Exmouth Gin distillery has begun using its expertise to produce hand sanitiser for the area's GPs and care homes.

Copper Frog Distilling, based in Exmouth, is currently testing the quality of its latest product, hand sanitiser.

Distillery owner Henry Hughes, 24, decided to start producing hand sanitiser after witnessing first hand, in his other job as an electrician, the difficulties local care homes are having sourcing hand sanitiser.

Henry did some research after the idea came to him and found guidelines and a recipe from the World Health Organisation.

"The hand sanitiser is made to the WHO's own guidelines and recipe, so we know we're producing the best possible product," Henry told Nub News.

"It's not scented or flavoured, it's all about producing a useful and safe product. As a distillery we have access to the chemicals, production methods and equipment needed to produce it.

"Rather than sit back and do nothing we're doing our best to help."

Henry will be distributing the hand sanitiser himself. It will first be supplied to local GP surgeries, residential care homes and homes for the elderly across the south west before it goes on sale to the public via the distillery's website.

"We're making sure our hand sanitiser gets to the people who really need it first. Once we are happy that our local health care professionals have what they need we will be selling it to the public via our website, not through big retailers and we will not be selling it in bulk to individuals.

"The idea came after seeing the problems care homes are facing at the moment getting hold of sanitiser. I researched it and found out we could use some of our alcohol to make it.

"I looked up the WHO guidelines and a recipe and decided to give it a go. The sanitiser is currently being tested at Woodbury Surgery to ensure its effectiveness before release.

"For any person or business with any enquiries about purchasing our hand sanitiser please do not hesitate to get in contact with us through either our website or Facebook page."

Copper Frog Distilling is a small family-run business in Exmouth focused on making the high quality, great-tasting spirits and liqueurs developed through their own unique processes and recipes.

According to Henry the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent UK lock down has, predictably, had an impact on gin sales.

"It's made it harder for us as bars and restaurants are suffering, so sales in that direction have gone down. We have shifted our focus to online sales but we realise people are reluctant to spend money on non-essential goods.

"So now we're really focusing on the sanitiser. We are stringently following all health and safety guidelines during the production of our products."

To find out more about Copper Frog Distilling click here.