UK taking the lead in a new space race

There is growing alarm at the amount of debris spinning round the planet at 18,000mph and a collision with critical satellites could bring down everyday services, including telecommunications and GPS navigation.

Britain's first garbage truck for space could clear up junk with a bear hug - or even the robotic equivalent of a litter-picker.

The two techniques are being proposed by companies competing for a UK contract to launch a clean-up mission as soon as 2026.