A MESSAGE in a bottle is saving lives on Teesside.

Emergency workers are applauding an initiative launched by pensioners' help organisation Age Concern where elderly people put identification, medical and contact details in a canister, which is kept in the fridge.

The canisters are free and are available from any Age Concern, Teesside office, but they will soon also be available from health centres, some chemists and community centres.

A green cross label displayed on the reverse side of a house front door alerts anyone entering a home in an emergency to the vital data held in the fridge.

Ron Mahon, Age Concern community development officer, said: "This container will save lives. We have had fire brigade, police and paramedics saying the same thing.

"With this container paramedics can go into the fridge and obtain medical information allowing them to start treatment straight away. And that information will go on to the hospital to doctors there.

"This is one of those simple little ideas that is making such a lot of difference to vulnerable people and everyone wonders why it had not been thought of before.''

He said: "The reason the canister is placed in the fridge is because everyone has a fridge and apparently the fridge is one of the last places to be affected by fire.''

Age Concern volunteer Joan Naylor said: "I had a fall outside my door and dislocated my shoulder and cracked a bone.

"Some children saw me fall and went for their parents, but I was in great pain and very confused and nobody knew who to contact.

"The experience dented my confidence, but now anyone coming to my aid would be led immediately to my medical information and next of kin."

The Cleveland Community Foundation has given Age Concern a £3,000 grant towards the cost of providing the emergency data canisters.