The inventor and entrepreneur, who this week won a £250,000 business partnership with Lord Alan Sugar, worked at B&V Water Treatment on what has also been called a ‘top secret project’ connected to legionella.

Mr Pellereau has been working with members of the B&V’s research and development team in his capacity as director of life sciences company Biomimetics Health Industries which creates chemicals aimed at killing well known contagious microorganisms.

B&V managing director, Simon Ward, said: “We have been working with Tom for a while now and we have all been very pleased to watch him excel on The Apprentice.

“His geek like status is proving an inspiration to a new generation who are now discovering that both science and being kind and thoughtful are positive qualities in a world often dominated by more aggressive types.

“Tom is a fantastic guy to work with – friendly, approachable and an old fashioned gentleman.”

The bespectacled inventor, who has a masters degree in mechanical engineering and innovation from Bath University, is already rumoured to have been offered a role presenting a BBC science programme.

Luke Walsh

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