It sounds like a gizmo that Batman or Spider-Man might have dreamed up, but a net that wraps itself around the wheels of a suspect's vehicle and brings it to a halt is being used by at least two British police forces.
The X-Net is laid in front of a moving car or van and, when it is activated, barbed spikes puncture the tyres. The mesh then envelopes the front wheels, forcing the vehicle to stop, often within 50m. It is possible that the doors may also become entangled in the net, trapping the occupants like a spider's web.
Gloucestershire and Kent police are known to be using X-Nets but other forces in the UK could also have them and are keeping it secret to stay one step ahead of criminals.
Created by the British company QinetiQ, X-Nets are already widely used by the US military in conflict zones such as Iraq to counter suicide bombers.
The X-Net's mesh is made of light but strong plastic netting and its spikes are made of carbon steel. The system can be carried in a holdall and laid across a road in 20 seconds.
However, there are drawbacks. The net can only be used once because it gets tangled and has to be cut away.
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