A CHARITY shop says business is booming thanks to a surge in donation of designer items by students moving out.

The British Heart Foundation shop in Durham has seen an increase in donations of clothing from brands like Ralph Lauren, Ted Baker and Laura Ashley as well as brand new Hugo Boss and Abercrombie jackets and Converse shoes, coinciding with students moving out of the city.

Stacey Miller, manager of the North Road shop, said: "We've seen loads coming in over the last month. We're still getting quite a lot at the minute because the students are moving out.

"As soon as we're putting things out on the shelf they're going.

"It's great because it's bringing in a lot of money for us and bringing us a lot of custom.

"We're getting a lot of people who wouldn't usually come into a charity shop."

Other British Heart Foundation shops across the country have reported a surge in donations of designer items, including limited edition clothing from Gucci and shoes by brands including Prada, Juicy Couture and Nike.

A Gucci sweatshirt, with a retail price of £630 and a Gucci t-shirt, which retails at £620, were donated at the shop in Bangor while a pair of Prada trainers, which sell for £230, was donated in Chester.

Area manager Martin Newton said: "Over the past few weeks we have been amazed by some of the generous donations of high quality items left behind by students. This has included designer clothing in prime condition from the likes of Laura Ashley, Ralph Lauren and Ted Baker.

"We also recently received brand new Hugo Boss and Abercrombie jackets with the tags still intact. These donations and more like it will make a valuable contribution to supporting our research in to new treatments for heart and circulatory disease.

“However, to run our charity shops we’re also reliant on the commitment of our volunteers, and we’re in urgent need of more volunteers at our shop. If you are looking for an opportunity to give something back and learn new skills, please do get in touch.”