Old age, accidents and certain diseases can all affect your bones, but researchers have now developed a laser that could help to spot osteoporosis.

The laser analyses tissue within the body painlessly and could replace the need for X-rays.

If the laser is commissioned, it would mean faster and cheaper ways of discovering whether a patient is at risk of fractures and how well therapy is working for them.

It could also find use in detecting breast cancer and heights of cholesterol.