Historically, Durham has an exclusive image

According to new figures, the university now has almost 1,000 students from such backgrounds.

It follows a campaign of visiting state schools in the region, organising activity days at the university, and summer schools for sixth formers.

The university - which in the past has had an "elitist" reputation - has denied it is "dumbing down" its admissions policy.

University school liaison officer Liz Hern said the idea was simply to attract able students from all backgrounds.

'Students with potential'

As a region, the North East has one of the lowest take up rates in higher education in the UK.

Ms Hern said: "We are trying to widen access and widen participation we aim to raise aspirations and seek out the most able and students with potential.

"Students with potential come from both state schools, independent schools, poor areas, rich areas.

"Our admissions process is to find those students and try to encourage then to come to this university.

Poorer backgrounds

"Dumbing down is not something we do.

"We encourage students to come to this university and realise their potential.

"It is certainly not an issue of looking for students from poorer backgrounds. Our admissions policy is far more sophisticated than that."