THEY are some of the country's most gifted students, studying at one of the leading universities.

But, when it comes to the noble art of boxing, Cambridge University is looking to North-East grit to help raise its game.

For the past 15 years, Cambridge has suffered defeat at the hands of varsity rivals Oxford.

But the university's boxing club is hoping to reverse that trend in March after a week of coaching and sparring at East Durham and Houghall Community College's boxing academy in Peterlee, east Durham.

Club captain Paul Elsner, 33, from Hamburg, Germany, who is doing his doctorate in physical geography, said yesterday: "It is a long losing streak and we want to try to turn the tables.

"The reason Cambridge did not perform as well in the last few years is the facilities, the set-up, training and coaching.

"Last year, we got in touch with Peterlee and revamped the whole club. We came here last September for a week. It is a modern gym and coaching is just brilliant.

"It is like an amateur footballer doing some coaching with Manchester United."

The academy has built a reputation in the boxing world and has 20 national champions and a host of international fighters.

Manager Frank Collinson said: "They are sparring with people like Tony Jefferies, from Sunderland, who is European cadet champion."

College principal Ian Prescott said: "I am thrilled the lads have chosen East Durham to gain extra coaching. It shows the academy set-up here is getting the college noticed on a nationwide scale."

The ten-strong Cambridge team will be at Peterlee until Friday.

They will then put their training into practice in preparatory matches with Trinity College, Dublin, and local boxers from Cambridge before the varsity encounter with Oxford.