A SCOTCH whisky firm has donated high strength alcohol to the city council to help produce hand sanitiser for front line workers.

The donation from Edrington, whose brands include The Famous Grouse, will allow more than 1000 litres of sanitiser to be developed.

More alcohol will be handed over in future to keep up with demand as the coronavirus pandemic progresses.

Graham Hutcheon, managing director at Edrington, said the company was "really pleased" to donate the spirit from the North British Distillery.

The distillery, owned as a joint venture between Diageo and Edrington, is also gifting hand sanitiser to the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.

Lord Provost Philip Braat, president of the Beatson Cancer Charity, said the "generous gesture" would make a "real difference to staff on the ground". He also reiterated his call for more PPE supplies if firms, or individuals, are able to donate.

Scottish international footballer Joanne Love works as a chemical analyst with the council's scientific services team, which took delivery of the alcohol.

She said: "I’m glad to be able to do my bit for staff, we all want to get through this pandemic safely.

"Football fans will know that I was meant to be playing in the qualifying matches for UEFA Women’s EURO 2021. In these difficult times I’m proud to be helping our front-line workers and those they serve."

The team creates sanitiser for council workers such as care home staff and refuse collectors.

Duncan Scott, a chartered chemist and scientific services group chemical analyst, said: "We’re working shifts some at home, some on the premises, to mitigate against possible illness – so there are always staff available.

"This donation means we’re working flat out to prepare and label 1000 bottles of hand sanitiser.

"They come in around five different sizes from handbag size to a large industrial size, depending on the setting it is used in.

"The alcohol has to be denatured and mixed with other reagents to meet World Health Organisation (WHO) alcohol rub specifications.

"There are two basic types that are acceptable one alcohol-based and the other ethanol based. Both the manufacture and labelling of the sanitiser follow stringent guidelines."

Anyone able to donate PPE can contact John.Paterson3@glasgow.gov.uk