London's wary commuters are buying emergency kits and taking first-aid courses to help them survive their journeys to work, according to suppliers and St John Ambulance.

UK Survive, a retailer which describes itself as "The UK's leading supplier of new civilian and anti-terror equipment" has seen demand for its commuter survival kits jump by 1,000 per cent in the last three weeks.

The company, which usually supplies equipment to government agencies and large companies, designed two "Commuter Paks", the "Basic" and the "Pro", last year to help people survive serious accidents on their way to work. In their early months the company sold only 40 sets.

But since July 7, UK Survive has sold more than 400 kits, which include a torch, a whistle, a mask and septic wipes in the "Basic" edition, and a first-aid kit, emergency blanket and camping knife in the "Pro". The kits cost £19.99 and £32.00 respectively.

"It's obviously not going to help you if you get hit by a bomb," said Nick Powell, the owner of the company who assembled the kits. "It's really intended for the aftermath of a bomb or an accident."

"The thinking behind it is that if you're in a tunnel or a situation filled with smoke then you can wear the masks. There's also a very basic first-aid kit and chemical snap lights that will last for twelve hours. It's basically to aid rescue attempts," he said.

Caroline Ling, a spokeswoman for UK Survive, said that anxiety was driving the sales and that the vast majority of customers who have bought the kits live "within the commuter belt".

Ms Ling acknowledged that the company was both "sad and happy" at the increased demand. "Certainly it's not an ideal situation, but if it does make people feel a little bit safer, a little bit more secure, then that's a good thing," she said.

Ms Ling's views were echoed by Sarah Johnson, a director of SurvivalBox, another supplier of emergency preparedness kits which has seen its sales increase dramatically since July 7.

SurvivalBox has witnessed a surge of 150 per cent in sales of its "Commuter Emergency Kit", which includes a particle mask, torch and water, over the last few weeks and costs £19.99.

"It's great for us that we are getting sales but it's not good for anybody that we are living in the threat of terror," said Ms Johnson, who said that the company's kit was designed two years ago after consultation with commuters in New York who described what they would have found useful on 9/11.

Ms Johnson said commuters carry the kits in the same way that drivers carry first aid packs in their cars: "It's one of those things you keep with you. It's like a first-aid kit in your car. It will give you a bit of extra time in case the worst happens and it will help you feel a little safer."

As well as buying equipment to help them through disasters, London's commuters are also seeking skills to assist others. St John Ambulance, Britain's leading provider of first-aid courses to the public, says inquiries for its courses jumped 25 per cent in the first two weeks after July 7.

"We are not sure how many of those inquiries have led to bookings for courses but we are considering putting on more courses to cope with the demand," said Jenny Edlington, a spokeswoman for the charity, which offers a range of courses, from four hours to four days of training.

Readers interested in St John Ambulance first-aid training can call their local office on 0870 10 49 50 or follow the link to the right.

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