AN inventor has devised an inflatable household accessory he believes could have saved millions of homes from the floods which devastated central Europe.

Mr Malcolm Baxter had the idea for his floating doorstep after his own home in Wigmore, near Leominster, Herefordshire, was flooded twice.

The doorstep has a fixed base and hollow top which is able to float, with a heavy duty plastic bag slung underneath. As the waters rise, so does the doorstep. Water enters the bag through an aperture and inflates it so that it wedges against the door, forming a tight seal.

Mr Baxter, who successfully tested the system in water tanks at the University of Abertay, Dundee, believes floating doorsteps could have prevented damage to homes during the recent flooding across Germany and central Europe.

As weathermen warned of more torrential rain heading for Britain, he said it was time to take the risk of flooding seriously. ''We will carry on getting floods as global warming takes effect,'' he said.

The floating doorstep can keep out 90% of a flood up to a depth of about four feet, said Mr Baxter, whose idea was featured in New Scientist magazine.

Mr Baxter believes the system can be adapted for windows. He has applied for a patent, is now seeking a manufacturer, and thinks his invention could retail for about #200.