Back when we were kids, apparently before the invention of dynamos, if you were going out and about after dark, taking a torch along was a major job. Not only did you have to find your torch hidden away in a cupboard somewhere, but you then had to talk your parents into giving you a handful of expensive batteries to power it. Which they did. For about ten minutes.

Thanks to Trevor Baylis' work on portable dynamo powered devices however, a whole new world full of exciting battery-less devices have been created. And as dynamo-powered electricals have become more common (and popular) designers have been allowed a little more freedom when it comes to the actual appearance of the unit.

Which is how we come to the Dynamo Wind Up Pig Torch. Shipping in both pink and black colours, this nifty wind up torch is shaped like a pig or penguin whose nostrils have been replaced to bright, white LED bulbs. The back of the pig's head even features a pair of cutesy little ears.

Mounted in the side of the torch is a spring mounted lever. Just flick the locking switch and out pops the level. All you have to do is to squeeze the lever and immediately you'll be generating your own electricity. The Dynamo Wind Up Pig Torch has a low capacity battery which stores this handmade power and keeps the bulbs lit. As the LEDs start to dim, you only need to squeeze the lever a few more times. In fact, you can keep generating your own electricity for as long as you need.

The Dynamo Wind Up Pig Torch is completely battery free, so if you are eco-conscious, you can buy this safe in the knowledge that you won't be sending nasty, poisonous power cells to landfill. For the cost-conscious, the fact you don't have to buy any more batteries means that this torch is a great investment.

So if you've ever wanted a perpetual torch in the shape of a cute little animal, the Dynamo Wind Up Pig Torch is for you!