A GIN distillery and a pub in Newbury have started making hand sanitiser to fill the shortage caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

The Newbury Pub and 137 Gin Distillery, on Bartholomew Street, are working with blogger Debbie Burgess to produce and distribute sanitiser.

The group have raised over £1,500 through crowdfunding on PayPal, and also received a donation of £1,000 from the Greenham Trust.

READ MORE: Community coronavirus response in Newbury is ‘tremendously heartening’

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, there is currently a reported shortage of sanitiser.

The sanitiser produced at the distillery will be sent — free of charge —  to GP surgeries, soup kitchens, care homes, and emergency frontline services, according to the crowdfunding page.

Whatever is left over would be sold to the community, with money raised spent either on materials to make more sanitiser, or donated to local charities.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Newbury council holds 'historic' virtual meeting

The page said: “We ask all who are in a position to assist us with covering the costs of materials for the ongoing production.

“We have limited stock of the ethanol 96 per cent, glycerol 98 per cent and hydrogen peroxide three per cent needed, and a limited stock of bottles. 137 Gin will provide labour elements for production on a voluntary basis so there will be no costs taken from this.”

Local services who need sanitiser, or people able to supply ingredients or bottles can contact the distillery by email on hello@137gin.com.