Sam, the youngest British Inventor,

" The Double Broom" recently created by a five-year-old boy is one of the cleverest inventions of the last decade, according to the British Library.

Sam Houghton came up with the idea at the tender young age of three while watching his father trying to sweep up some dusty garden leaves.

His Wallace & Gromit-style idea is now patented by the now five-year-old Sam, is among the UK's Top 15 'ingenious' inventions of the last decade, according to the British Library.

So inspired was he by his heroes Wallace & Gromit, he decided to tie two brooms together using a rubber band, creating what he called the "Improved Broom".

Schoolboy Sam Houghton came up with his idea of the double-headed broom a while observing his father struggling with the autumn leaves in their home garden, Buxton, Derbyshire, UK.

Sam has since been granted an official patent for his creation.

Experts have now termed the product, which was designed to collect large debris and fine dust simultaneously, one of the 'most inspiring' inventions of the last 10 years.

The product also now forms part of an exhibition which opens today at The British Library.

Steve van Dulken, a Patent Expert and Curator of Inventing the 21st Century, said he had been particularly impressed by the youngster's 'neat solution' to a problem.

Mr Van Dulken, the British Library's patent expert, said: "Sam is an inspiration to all of us so I was adamant throughout the selection of inventions that we include him and his broom.

"We need to encourage more children to get excited about inventing, and provide more emphasis on engineering and invention in our schools."

Other inventions which will be featured at the exhibition are Dyson's Bladeless Fan, the Road Refresher Dog Bowl, the Karbon Kinetics Gocycle, a SeaRaser Wave Power Generator, the Magnamole DIY Solution, a Money Saving Ewgeco Energy Monitor, the Yoomi Self-warming Baby Bottle, an All Terrain Trendy Trekinetic Wheelchair, some Pop Open Packaging, Speedo's Shark Inspired Swimsuit, the Mosquito Security System, A Lifesaver Portable Water Filter, TheRevolutionary Retinal Scanner and a Rail Track Leaf Laser (at long last! no more excuses,)

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