US company VaporStream has come up with the technology that destroys an e-mail - and all record of it - once it has been read. The message cannot be copied, forwarded or edited.

Both the sender and the recipient must subscribe to the relevant software, which VaporStream hopes will attract users who need to protect secrets.

Spokesman Amit Shah told Ananova:

"It is much like a telephone call, in that it doesn't leave a record. But it has the convenience of e-mail."

However, the company does admit the system could be open to abuse by people involved in dishonest practices.