A cleaner at a Derby-based food company has won a GBP2000 (USD3000) prize for an idea that will save thousands of man-hours.

Peter Skeldon won the prize for developing an automated forklift tipping system to deposit factory waste into waste containers, a task usually performed dozens of times a day by hand.

Mr Skeldon won the prize as part of his company's "My Bright Idea" staff innovation scheme, according to a Derby Evening Telegraph report.