A MODEL from the North-East has bared all to join a campaign against animal cruelty.

Monica Harris, from Stanley, County Durham, joined fellow models, Katy Heffernan Smith and Hope Carveth, to take part in PETA anti fur protest in London today (Thursday, February 19).

Covered only by a banner proclaiming, "We'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur", the nude trio braved the cold outside Somerset House, the site of upcoming London Fashion Week shows.

The 34-year-old former Greencroft Comprehensive School pupil said: “Fashion should be fun, not fatal. No jacket, scarf or piece of trim is worth electrocuting, bludgeoning, strangling or skinning alive a thinking, feeling animal.”

As well as modelling Miss Harris is also a presenter while Miss Heffernan Smith, 26, from London is a singer and Miss Carveth, 22, from Berkshire is studying veterinary medicine.

The campaign seeks to highlight how the animals such as foxes, rabbits and minks on fur farms are confined to cramped cages before they are killed to produce fur coats, collars and cuffs.

Many top designers, including Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Simone Rocha, Shrimps and high-street favourite Topshop, are completely fur-free.

The charity said 95 per cent of the British public refuse to wear real fur, including celebrities such as Kate Winslet, Alexa Chung and Ellie Goulding.

PETA UK director Mimi Bekhechi said: “Since the majority of designers at London Fashion Week refuse to use fur in their collections, it's clear that compassionate fashion is a trend that's here to stay.

“Of course, shedding your clothes isn't the only way to take a stand against the cruel fur industry, people can find lots of ways to join the models in helping animals at PETA.org.uk.”