A student from Middlesex University has made a prototype Android 4.0 smartphone using bamboo and is set to bring it to market in the UK later this year.

Kieron-Scott Woodhouse designed the 'ADzero' handset in his spare time and used specially treated four-year-old organic bamboo for the casing.

The 23-year-old got financial backing from a technology entrepreneur after posting his concepts online. The handset was originally designed for the Chinese market, but will now be released in the UK after being shown off at design show in London last year.

"Bamboo may seem like a strange material to use for a phone, but it's actually extremely strong and very durable, perfect qualities for this kind of application," Woodhouse noted.

"The whole experience so far has been incredible and completely unexpected. I can't wait to see my mobile phone in shops this year."

Full specifications have yet to be released, but the prototype is running Ice Cream Sandwich and has an innovative flash system that runs along the outside of the camera.

Woodhouse confirmed that the final device will have a larger screen than the iPhone 4S and is expected to weigh around half the weight of the Apple device, which is 140g.

Pricing is yet to be confirmed, but the handset is set to be made available at independent retailers and boutiques later this year.

V3 will post a full review when it is released.