London, February 15:

A student in Britain has developed a washing machine that not only washes and dries clothes but also irons them.

Oliver Blackwell, a University of Plymouth graduate, hopes the machine which he designed will become much wanted because it saves about 10 days a year in ironing time, reported the online edition of BBC News. The machine named as WashDryIron washes, dries and irons clothes in separate compartments and is said to eliminate colour runs, shrinkage and ironing. It can tackle up to 16 items at a time, including king-si-ze bed sheets. Because hangers are used, clothes do not become entangled and have 83 per cent fewer creases. The items are then dried and ironed by hot air blown across them, he said. He is going to exhibit it at Ideal Home Show.

He claims another major benefit of the separate compartments is that muddy sports gear can be washed at the same time, but at a different temperature from delicate fabrics. He expected the new washing machine to retail at about 800-900 pounds. “There’s been a huge amount of interest in my design, but what I really need next is for a major manufacturer.”