UNIVERSITY students strutted down the catwalk at the weekend in a record-breaking fundraising event in aid of Syrian refugees.

Around 60 student models, including Austrian countess and professional model Milana Traun, took to the stage at Rainton Meadows Arena, for the 34th annual Durham University Charity Fashion Show.

The two-night black tie event is on target to raise £75,000 for the International Rescue Committee in aid of refugees in Syria.

In previous years, the annual fashion show has been held in smaller venues in Durham including the Town Hall and Mount Oswald Golf Club.

But this year’s show moved to the prestigious arena, where an audience of 1600 students and alumni enjoyed the event, making it the largest ever staged by Durham University students and one of the largest student events in the UK.

The show, themed Mavericks To Movements, featured some of the country’s most cutting-edge fashion brands which have graced the covers of Vogue, GQ and I-D magazine, including Rose and Willard womenswear, Sea Dragon swimwear, Ivy Park leisurewear, Mr Fish menswear and Studio Pia lingerie.

The show comfortably beat the fund raising record set last year, £27,000 for the Stop The Traffik campaign.

Rowena Soons, president of the fashion show executive committee, said: ‘In the current political climate, with Trump most recently signing an executive order to allow extreme vetting on all refugees, the need to keep the humanity and dignity of displaced people at the forefront of people’s minds has never been stronger.

“We have an amazing platform and opportunity to raise these issues within our student community and we have been mindblown by the response and generosity of Durham students.

“A donation of £75,000 will be the largest amount ever raised in the UK by a student event and knowing it is going to such an incredible cause makes the committee incredibly proud of our student community”.

Vice President Georgia Gogarty added: “We chose the charity because of its outstanding commitment to not only providing humanitarian relief in the worst affected areas of the world, but also to inspire hope and encourage sustainable development to help broken communities rebuild their lives”.