Just about the only perk I get from running The Curry House is that, occasionally, I get some really interesting stuff sent to me. Sometimes it’s a bottle of a new hot sauce or maybe some samples of spices. But this time the sample was not of curry spices but something quite novel and ingenious.

What was it? Well, first let me tell you a little story.

One evening a year or so ago I went to collect an Indian take-away meal that I had ordered. I live out in the sticks and it’s a 4 mile drive to the Lina take-away in Pangbourne where my chicken dopiaza was waiting for me. All was fine on the way there. I even stopped off for a quick pint of Brakspears. The return journey was another matter.

I collect the meal and place the carrier bag in the foot-well on the passenger side of the car. I start off for home. On my way home there is a steep hill with a right angle bend near the top. I get up the hill, I start to negotiate the bend and disaster strikes!!! My lovely curry is no longer sitting upright it’s decided to have a lie down. I can’t grab it, I’ll never make the bend if I do, so I have to leave it.

When it’s safe to stop I do and, you guessed it, yellowy, curryfied oil is dripping out and seeping into the carpet of the car. I’m as big a curry fan as the next person but I’m not keen on shampooing out my car’s carpets late in the evening when I’m hungry and my meal is drying out in the oven.

Recognise the story? Well, help is at hand. If I’d had this handy new invention on my fateful trip the disaster would never have happened. It’s called the CurrySafe and costs only 99p. Like all brilliant inventions it’s deceptively simple. Just 4 pieces of interlocking cardboard which make a safe cradle for your take-away carrier bag. You can even adjust the CurrySafe to accommodate larger bags. Simple.

The CurrySafe is the brain child of airline pilot Mark Tuppen. Mark says "My take-away curry fell over while I was driving round a roundabout and I nearly crashed my car". Later, after his nocturnal car cleaning session, inspiration struck and the CurrySafe was born. I asked Mark if he thought his invention would catch on. "Oh yes" he said "There’s been great interest already. The CurrySafe is even going to be the BBC Top Gear Magazine’s "top thing" next month".

So, if your local take-away doesn’t yet stock the CurrySafe then get them to order some! The CurrySafe people can be reached by e-mail or by telephone on 01293 454933 or fax on 01293 424333