TECHNOLOGY developed in Malvern to find unexploded bombs (UXBs) will now be used to measure children's feet.

QinetiQ has signed a £4.6 million deal with Clarks Shoes to install electronic foot gauges in its shops up and down the country.

The device uses six 3D cameras to measure children's feet quickly and accurately, helping to ensure the best shoe fit possible.

The gauge uses innovative optical ranging technology developed by a QinetiQ team in Malvern led by Dr Amanda Turner.

The team's efforts have been based on earlier work done for the Ministry of Defence to detect unexploded ordnance.

The foot gauge will be installed in selected Clarks shoeshops over the next month for a trial period.

It will then be rolled out into all the firm's UK and Ireland stores over the next 18 months.

Hal Kruth, managing director of QinetiQ's commercial sector, said: "By developing a keen understanding of our customer's requirements and of how our existing 3D ranging technology could be applied to meet those needs, we have been able to transfer a technology developed for military purposes successfully and quickly into a purely commercial product."

Bob Hardy, Clarks' foot fitting manager, said: "A good fit is hugely important to the health of our children's feet and QinetiQ's foot gauge will allow us to deliver the most accurate measurements."

It was not known whether Clark's Church Street shop will be one of the first to get the device.

Clarks spokesman John Keery said the company was trying to roll out the device as quickly as possible.

It will be fitted in the top 50 best-selling stores in time for back-to-school sales in August, and should be in the Malvern store within 18 months.