The boss of Spearmint Rhino has said hard-up students should consider stripping as a way to pay for university tuition fees, according to various media outlets.

John Specht, vice-president of the lap-dancing chain, was accused of making the comments in an attempt to promote the company to attract students who are short of cash.

A National Union of Students spokesman said: "Specht seems to be delighting in the fact that students will have less money next year. It's all one big promotion."

Speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield Specht said: "With the rising student fees the students know that they can come in and earn the money they need to survive.

"At least at Spearmint Rhino we are a world known brand, it's a fun, safe environment. They could be doing a lot worse things."

NUS women's officer Estelle Hart reacted to the comments saying the government was "forcing" students into the stripping industry.

"I think the government has got some questions to answer about why students are turning to what is quite a dangerous job.

"One thing that is disturbing is that you have the vice president of this massive company and he's quite happy that student fees are going up.

"The money you earn from it isn't that good because you pay a fee to work in the strip club you're not employed. Most of these places impose arbitrary fines on the women who work there.

"The sort of idea that in order for women to work they have got to look and act a certain way and be sexually available and attractive to men is actually quite upsetting."

"This sort of myth that it's easy money really is just that - a myth", she added.

'Maria', a second-year student at Newcastle who did not want to be named, told the Huffington Post UK that she had started stripping as a way of earning "quick cash".

"I don't like doing it, at all. But I can work whenever I want and I can walk away from a night's work with £500. If I took up a waitressing job, it would be more like £50, if that.

"As soon as I leave university I'll stop. My parents have no idea I'm stripping and I'd hate them to find out."