James Fisher & Sons says it is poised to produce 2,000 ventilators a week to treat people with Covid-19.

JFD, based in Aberdeen, is a part of the Barrow-headquartered firm and is a world leader in breathing apparatus and life-support.

It has announced that its advanced ventilator is ready to be launched into full-scale production and has sent a model of its non-invasive system to the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for testing.

If approved, the company said it could produce 2,000 a week.

The ventilators, called InVicto, are flexible, the company said. It could be used in places like care homes for "pre-critical" care and also in hospital wards, providing full support.

Giovanni Corbetta, managing director of JFD, said: “Since the global outbreak of Covid-19, JFD has been working around the clock, utilising all our experience in developing breathing apparatus and life support equipment to design the best possible solution for patients, doctors and healthcare authorities around the world."

Eoghan O’Lionaird, chief executive of James Fisher & Sons, added: “Our extensive experience in breathing gas reclaim systems for the offshore diving industry, gives us a unique perspective into how best to deliver oxygen to patients safely, effectively and efficiently.

"Our new InVicto ventilator does this, not only helping to save lives but also preserving crucial oxygen reserves at a time when global supplies are under considerable strain.”

Several companies, including Dyson, have answered the call from the Government for firms to take up the ventilator challenge.