A ROADSHOW will be visiting Great Yarmouth today to launch a DVD about Norfolk County Council Assistive Technology Service, which stars The Royle Family's Ricky Tomlinson.

A ROADSHOW will be visiting Great Yarmouth today to launch a DVD about Norfolk County Council Assistive Technology Service, which stars The Royle Family's Ricky Tomlinson.

The Royle Family star joins former Anglia TV presenter Helen McDermott in the DVD aimed at helping Norfolk's rising elderly population.

The 10-minute film shows a range of gadgets available to help older people live independently in their own homes, such as a device which reminds them to lock all their doors as they leave their house and a phone with the faces of key people to call instead of numbers.

Ricky, a 69-year-old Liverpudlian, also starred in Mike Bassett England Manager, playing a Norwich City manager and does a lot of charity work and gave up his time for free to make the film.

“It was nice to get involved in something like that because I think it's an excellent idea and something that should be introduced throughout the country,” he said.

“I thought the idea was tremendous. I like the gadget when you're leaving your home and a voice tells you to make sure you've locked all your doors. I thought that was very good. I'm 70 in a few days' time and you do become forgetful.”

The comical DVD, which has been made by Norwich-based Tracy Island Productions, sees Ms McDermott play a county council worker who goes round to Mr Tomlinson's house to show him the range of technology on offer.

Devices include fall detectors, inactivity monitors, voice prompts and carer pagers.