The British army today unveiled a new "weapon" to combat the danger of pipe bombs thrown during street rioting which do not immediately explode.
The Ballistic Blanket will be thrown over a device providing protection should it explode before bomb disposal teams can deal with it.
The blanket, measuring approximately 1.5 metres square, is made of layered ballistic sheeting and is designed to provide additional protection to the security forces.
Coloured a fluorescent orange to signify danger, it is the brainchild of the head of the bomb squad in Northern Ireland - chief ammunition technical officer Lt Cl Alex Boyd.
Lt Col Boyd said today: "Pipe bombs have killed and maimed, not just members of the security forces but also innocent members of the public."
He came up with the idea of the blanket as a better way of protecting soldiers faced with a device that has landed without exploding.
PA