People with dementia will be given a GPS-tracking device to help their families find them if they go missing.

The credit card-sized device, which will be rolled out as part of a trial by Surrey County Council, will alert relatives if the user strays from a plotted route and will pinpoint their location to allow them to be found more easily.

Families will receive alerts on their smart phones or computer with a link to a map and can also be made aware if their relative goes beyond a specified point.

Mel Few, Surrey County Council’s cabinet member for adult social care, said: “The county council is always ready to embrace innovation to improve care.

“One of the most common concerns for families of those with dementia is that their loved ones often get lost after becoming confused and disoriented.

“This device offers people with the condition more freedom to go about everyday life while also giving relatives peace of mind that their loved ones aren’t going to get lost on the way to the shops or on a bus journey.”