A disposable absorbent article comprising: a chassis including a topsheet and a backsheet, the chassis having end edges and longitudinal edges; an absorbent core which comprises an absorbent particulate polymer material, the absorbent core being located between the topsheet and the backsheet; and a pair of side panels joined with the chassis, the side panels extending laterally outwardly beyond the longitudinal edges, each side panel having at least one zone elastically extensible in a direction having a vector component in the lateral direction, wherein each side panel has a leg zone which is elastically extensible in a direction having a vector component in the lateral direction, a waist zone which is elastically extensible in a direction having a vector component in the lateral direction, and a separation zone separating the leg zone and the waist zone, and characterized in that the absorbent core is substantially cellulose free and comprises first and second absorbent layers, the first absorbent layer including a first substrate and the second absorbent layer including a second substrate, the first and second absorbent layers further including the absorbent particulate polymer material deposited on said first and second substrates and thermoplastic adhesive material covering the absorbent particulate polymer material on the respective first and second substrates, said first and second absorbent layers combined together such that at least a portion of said thermoplastic adhesive material of said first absorbent layer contacts at least a portion of the thermoplastic adhesive material of said second absorbent layer, the absorbent particulate polymer material is disposed between the first and second substrates in an absorbent particulate polymer material area, wherein the absorbent particulate polymer material is deposited on the first and second substrates in respective patterns of land areas and junction areas between the land areas such that the absorbent particulate polymer material is discontinuously distributed on the first and second substrates, and the first and second absorbent layers are combined together such the respective patterns of absorbent particulate polymer material are offset from one another, and the absorbent particulate polymer material is substantially continuously distributed across the absorbent particulate polymer material area. a chassis including a topsheet and a backsheet, the chassis having end edges and longitudinal edges; an absorbent core which comprises an absorbent particulate polymer material, the absorbent core being located between the topsheet and the backsheet; and a pair of side panels joined with the chassis, the side panels extending laterally outwardly beyond the longitudinal edges, each side panel having at least one zone elastically extensible in a direction having a vector component in the lateral direction, wherein each side panel has a leg zone which is elastically extensible in a direction having a vector component in the lateral direction, a waist zone which is elastically extensible in a direction having a vector component in the lateral direction, and a separation zone separating the leg zone and the waist zone, and characterized in that the absorbent core is substantially cellulose free and comprises first and second absorbent layers, the first absorbent layer including a first substrate and the second absorbent layer including a second substrate, the first and second absorbent layers further including the absorbent particulate polymer material deposited on said first and second substrates and thermoplastic adhesive material covering the absorbent particulate polymer material on the respective first and second substrates, said first and second absorbent layers combined together such that at least a portion of said thermoplastic adhesive material of said first absorbent layer contacts at least a portion of the thermoplastic adhesive material of said second absorbent layer, the absorbent particulate polymer material is disposed between the first and second substrates in an absorbent particulate polymer material area, wherein the absorbent particulate polymer material is deposited on the first and second substrates in respective patterns of land areas and junction areas between the land areas such that the absorbent particulate polymer material is discontinuously distributed on the first and second substrates, and the first and second absorbent layers are combined together such the respective patterns of absorbent particulate polymer material are offset from one another, and the absorbent particulate polymer material is substantially continuously distributed across the absorbent particulate polymer material area.