EDUCATION secretary Charles Clarke was heckled by more than 100 university students on a visit to Durham University.

The minister was at the university for an invitation-only event to talk to Labour students about his controversial White Paper on education.

But on arrival at Durham's Grey College on Tuesday night, Mr Clarke was met by Students' Union members, who turned their backs on him in protest at his plans to introduce a means-tested £3,000 'top-up' on tuition fees.

Students' Union officer Helen King said: "We are completely opposed to these fees, which will mean students are leaving university with debts of up to £21,000."

But Mr Clarke said: "I know there is a lot of discussion about the issue. Anything that encourages students from working-class backgrounds to go to university is right."