A message in a bottle could prove to be a lifesaver.

More than 300 free plastic containers were handed out to people at The Forum shopping centre, High Street, Sittingbourne, on Saturday as part of a campaign by Swale Lions.

Recipients keep their basic personal and medical details on a standard form in the holder and place it in a common location within their home, the fridge.

A sticker is then placed on the back of their front door and on the refrigerator.

The sign alerts emergency service crews to where they can find a patient’s vital information should they be unable to communicate with them about their condition.

The scheme has been running in the borough for the last 10 years.

Treasurer Jim Mitchell said: “It is nationwide thing with the Lions and I do believe it’s also on the Continent because I spoke to some German people about it once and they said they knew all about it so I’m sure it’s widespread.

“We buy a pallet of the bottles and split the cost between us the Malling, Gillingham and Maidstone branches.

“It went very well on Saturday. The difficulty we find though is that people don’t believe they’re being given something for nothing.

“Once we point out there’s no sales man or follow up call there’s lots of interest.”

Bottles can be obtained from Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital, Bell Road, Sittingbourne; Sheppey Community Hospital, Plover Road, Minster, and Faversham Cottage Hospital in Stone Street.