HE invented a clingfilm dispenser that actually works and revolutionised workplace safety with his brightly coloured, easy-to-use first aid kit.

Now Scottish millionaire businessman Gio Benedetti is hoping to eradicate the risk of the potentially fatal condition deep vein thrombosis (DVT) for long-haul air passengers.

The businessman father of world-renowned violinist Nicola Benedetti has invented a new device that stimulates blood circulation when someone is sitting down.

The £13 product, which can fit into a handbag, sits under the arch of a foot and, by a process of moving it backwards and forwards, pumps blood around the body in the same way that walking does.

It has been clinically proved to cut down the chance of developing DVT in 99% of cases.

Many travellers use tight, calf-length compression flight socks, which can be uncomfortable or ineffective if the wrong size is worn.

Mr Benedetti, 68, hopes his new device – Actiflo – will replace the impractical footwear and become the leading anti-DVT product on the market.

He said: "It's estimated that around one in 1000 people affected by DVT every year in the UK, although there are often no symptoms.

"Compression flight socks are currently the most common form of prevention. However, research has shown that if the socks are the wrong size or are not fitted properly, they can have adverse side-effects ranging from abscesses to an increased risk of developing DVT.

"We wanted to offer a safe and natural way of preventing DVT which could also be used by people with at risk conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, varicose veins or circulation problems. For these conditions in particular, flight socks aren't recommended."

A DVT is a clot that forms in a deep vein, most often in the calf or thigh region, and is caused by immobility. The condition has shot to prominence in recent years as long-haul flights have become more popular.

If the blood clot breaks off and travels to the lung, it can cause heart attacks and strokes. It can be fatal.

Clinical trials of the device at the University of the West of Scotland found it was able to reduce the risk of DVT by up to 99 %, and improve normal circulation by 10 %.

Scientists measured the blood pressure of a number of volunteers in a laboratory in conditions that replicated five and 10-hour flights.

They found that those using the device showed far fewer signs of blood pooling in their feet – a key sign of developing DVT.

Mr Benedetti, chairman of Wallace Cameron, based in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, added: "It fits under your foot and, by moving your foot backwards and forwards, basically pumps blood around your system in the same way that walking does.

"I used it on a flight to Hong Kong recently and there was no stiffness in my legs when I got off the plane, despite sitting down for much of the flight."