STEELMAKER Corus has joined the fight against international terrorism by designing Europe's first compact detection system cap able of discovering dirty bombs.

The lightweight system can detect small amounts of radioactive material which could be attached to conventional explosives and detonated, contaminating a wide area.

Dirty bombs are one of the most feared weapons in the terrorists' arsenal because they are relatively simple to make but could have a potentially devastating impact.

The launch of the product, designed and developed in part at Corus's Teesside plants, comes at a time of heightened security awareness in the UK.

Concerns have grown over terrorists and criminals attempting to procure and smuggle radioactive material.

The detector, called Redeem, can detect low level gamma radiation and neutron sources as packages or people pass within approximately four metres, of the detection unit.

Only 54cm, long, it is small and discreet enough to be installed inside buildings with minimal disruption, but still provides maximum security, making it the first product of its kind suitable for the commercial security market.

Corus is the only UK manufacturer of such equipment and the first in Europe to produce such a compact system.

It is likely to be installed in buildings at risk from potential terrorist attack or places such as baggage handling facilities, post rooms, transport systems and hospitals, where it may be desirable to screen for radioactivity.

Other systems that have been manufactured are used primarily in industrial locations, where the units are much larger and heavier and not suitable for installation inside a building or in an area where discretion is important.

Les Swain, Corus's manager responsible for Redeem, said: "Radiation detection plays a key role in reducing the risk of public exposure to contaminated materials.

"In that respect, Redeem is the public's first line of defence.

"It is small, lightweight and discreet enough for use in buildings where the threat of exposure is particularly high.

"Installing Redeem is a low cost means of significantly reducing risk and ensuring peace of mind."

Redeem costs between £9,500 and £29,000 depending on its commercial or industrial use.

* Teesside steel is to be used to build the world headquarters for Barclays Bank.

The headquarters is to be built at Canary Wharf, in London's Docklands, and will be 150m high.