A KINDHEARTED businessman has come up with an idea to help pensioners and the disabled this winter and is appealing for other residents in Flintshire to help him.

Steve Samuels, from Bagillt, is volunteering to clear snow and ice from paths outside people’s homes and has drafted in his family to help.

Daughter Carina Bradshaw, 28, is disabled following a road accident in 2006 which left her wheelchair bound.

She has agreed to take calls from any disabled person or pensioner who finds their path is hazardous this winter.

Steve and son Ashley, as well as colleague David Pedder, will then go out to shovel away any snow and put rock salt down on the paths so people can get out the house.

Steve, 60, said: “There were a lot of OAPs stuck in their houses last year. If we could do that for them and save them from possibly injuring themselves that would be really good.

“I’m hoping we’ll get other people to volunteer to help us put the grit out. We can do the area around Bagillt but we’d need other people on board in other areas of Flintshire.”

The team plans to keep an eye on the weather forecasts and if heavy snow is expected overnight they will take out barrels of rock salt the night before to people who have registered with them, in case Steve cannot get out himself the next day.

The family runs a landscape gardening business and their supplier, Thorncliffe building merchants in Altami, has agreed to donate rock salt.

Adam Harper, manager at Thorncliffe, said: “We will be donating about £200 worth of rock salt. It’s fantastic to see an idea that shows such care in the community.”

Steve is hoping other suppliers will come forward to donate rock salt or grit to the cause and is also appealing for anyone with spare drums to hold the salt to come forward.

People wanting help from the team this winter should call Carina on 01352 781201.