In the Spider-Man comics and movies, mild-mannered Peter Parker finds himself able to climb up the side of buildings after being bitten by a radioactive spider. In real life, enterprising scientist Jem Stansfield got the same effect from two vacuum cleaners he bought at Tesco. He adapted the household appliances' motors into giant sucker pads, then used them to crawl up a 30ft wall. A crowd of amazed onlookers watched the presenter from BBC One's Bang Goes The Theory scale the side of a school and retrieve a lost shuttlecock from the roof as part of the Brighton Science Festival Programme. He completed the daredevil stunt without a safety helmet after fixing the cleaners to a back pack attached to two 'vacuum gloves'. Afterwards Mr Stansfield, 39, an aeronautics graduate who weighs about 12st, said: 'I came across the idea when I was doing a challenge to make superhuman powers out of junk. 'I worked out the vacuum cleaners could support my weight. 'I attached pads roughly the size of tea trays to the nozzle and realised they pressed tightly against the wall and could hold me.

'Activities like this can teach children that if you understand the world around you, you can make it work for you.hoover upright vacuum cleaners bagged 'Normal boring day-to-day objects can do exciting things for you.'rowenta vacuum cleaner spare parts Festival organiser Richard Robinson admitted he thought the stunt would flop when he was told about it.vax vs dyson vacuum cleaners He said: 'We all laughed. We didn't think it would ever work, then we turned around and he was climbing a wall.' Before becoming a TV presenter, Mr Stansfield created special effects for films including Lost In Space and Van Helsing, and produced exhibits for the Science Museum and Royal Observatory. He invented the world's first air-powered motorbike, and won a New Scientist prize for boots that walk on water.

More recently he succeeded in making a rocket run on toffee by filling a tube with the sweet and firing nitrous oxide down a hole in the middle of it. It was capable of powering a bicycle ridden by Mr Stansfield at a test base. For his next trick, he hopes to drive a car all the way from London to Manchester, powered only by coffee beans.Households are scrambling to get hold of powerful vacuum cleaners before they are banned by the EU, retailers have revealed. told This is Money it had its best ever day for vacuum cleaner sales last Friday as customers picked up a model with a power rating above 1,600 watts before they are outlawed by the EU. Sales were up 40 per cent last week on the same period last year.Tesco also saw sales rocket by 44 per cent over the past two weeks as panicked customers rushed to get their hands on popular 2,000W models. The Cooperative Electrical shop reported a similar rise of 38 per cent. Boom: Powerful vacuum cleaners are flying off the shelves of some retailers ahead of the EU banThe sales boom comes as its was revealed the EU has also set its sights on banning the most powerful hairdryers, lawn mowers and electric kettles in an effort to cut energy consumption.

A ban on dozens of energy-sapping electrical devices could be introduced next spring to meet targets set by Brussels.A European Commission report has identified up to 30 electrical devices that could fall under the EU's Ecodesign directive outlawing high-wattage appliances.Current legislation covers televisions, washing machines, refrigerators and vacuum cleaners but not most smaller electrical appliances. The EU has set binding targets to reduce energy consumption by 30 per cent by 2030. Miele Bagged Cylinder – S6220 2000W2. Bosch Bagless Cylinder - BGS5SILGB 1200W3. Vax Bagless Upright – U-86-PM-TH, 1600W4. Hoover Bagless Upright – SM1901, 2000W5. Dyson DC25 Animal Bagless Upright, 1200W...and the best selling models at Tesco1. Dyson DC25 Animal Bagless Upright, 1200W2. Hoover Smart TSM2110 2100W 3. Hoover Breeze BR2306 2300W 4. Hoover Smart SM2018 2000W Pets 5. Hoover Sprint TSBE1805 1800W Pet Tesco said it expects no let-up in the vacuum buying frenzy as the ban looms. category planning manager at Tesco said: 'We've seen huge sales

increases of vacuums and we expect the high demand to continue over the next few days before the ban comes into place.'Leanne Beswick, head of small domestic appliances at online electricals , said that although the ban comes into force on Monday, there is no need to panic buy – and that lower watts doesn't necessarily should also be aware that the only clause in the legislation regarding the removal of these models from the market is that manufacturers can no longer bring these vacuums into the UK,' she said. 'If there are models already sat in manufacturers' warehouses, and they can prove this, they are well within their rights to continue selling them to retailers.The EU could be looking to cap the wattage of other small electrical appliances, including hairdryers and lawn mowers 'This means that as long as there is stock in the supply chain, we can continue to sell out old high wattage cleaners without a time period limitation.

there's no need to rush!' week consumer watchdog Which? warned that many of its best models, which appear in its Best Buy tables, will be taken off the market when the new EU rule comes into force.Of seven awarded 'Best Buy' status since January 2013, five have motors of more than 1,600 watts, it said. Changing rules: Manufacturers will not be able to make vacuum cleaners with motors of more than 1,600 wattsThe move has angered manufacturers, who say it will do nothing to make cleaners more environmentally friendly and will simply reduce efficiency in the home.Critics say cleaners satisfying the new rule may use less power, but householders will have to use them for longer so they are likely to use the same amount of electricity in the long run.As wall crawlers go, two Tesco vacuum cleaners and a suckerpad don't quite make a web-slinger. As wall crawlers go, two Tesco vacuum cleaners and a suckerpad don't quite make a web-slinger. But try telling that to Spider-Man fan Hibiki Kono, 13, who created a gadget to emulate his hero - then amazed his friends by scaling the school wall.

Hibiki made the climbing machine using the suction of two £14.98 Tesco value vacuums, attached nozzle pads then plugged it in. He said: "I used to dress up as Spider-Man when I was younger, I love the films." Teacher Angus Gent, of King's College School, Cambridge, where Hibiki built it in five months, said once his pupil was bitten by the Spidey bug there was no looking down. He said: "I'm hugely proud of him. He has a real flair. "I had doubts but once he proved it could work I encouraged him. It's amazing for someone his age." Most Read in News Rio 2016 : Olympic security chief attacked after opening ceremony before knife-wielding robber shot dead by police Tragic mum-of-two died from 'silent killer' after scratching the back of her hand while gardening Phillip ‘Phizzurp’ Klemenov dead: Tributes paid to professional 23-year-old Call of Duty player and YouTube sensation Horrified mum complains about 'sausage skin' in Heinz soup but is told it's something MUCH worse