PONTYPOOL inventor Graham Taylor has cooked up a great idea to make cars more environmentally friendly.

He has launched the UK's first brand of recycled diesel - using recycled cooking oil blended with conventional diesel oil.

Bio-Diesel is now available at Pimlico Garage in New Inn, and industry experts, together with Plaid Cymru leader Dafydd Iwan, gathered on the site yesterday to see it.

The inventor has set up a collection network for used cooking oil from catering outlets across Wales.

Mr Taylor said the cooking oil had several benefits: "It contains no sulphur, which means no acid rain, and its lubricating qualities make it better for engines than standard diesel."

Mr Iwan said: "I must congratulate Graham on his innovation and endeavour."

Mr Taylor hopes Mr Iwan will lobby on his behalf to bring the duty on Bio-diesel down to European levels.

His company, Energy World, plans to sell it at 3p per litre less than regular diesel but the saving could be greater if the duty was reduced.

With the help of Torfaen council he is planning to build a large centrifuge in an industrial unit in Pontypool to recycle the collected oil.