A team of scientists have managed to “tie light in knots”, it has been revealed.

The remarkable feat was achieved by physicists working at the universities of Bristol, Glasgow and Southampton.

The light was controlled using holograms specially designed with “knot theory” — a branch of abstract mathematics inspired by twists in shoelaces and rope.

The breakthrough paves the way for a new level of precision in laser technology, with applications ranging from traffic speed guns to height measurement.

The team were able to create knots in optical vortices, using the sophisticated holograms to direct the flow of light, said Dr Mark Dennis from the University of Bristol and lead author on the paper which was published in Nature Physics.