Anna Beazley, from Clayton-le-Woods, collected the Bacup Shoe Company Design Award after beating off stiff competition from her fellow University of Central Lancashire students.

UCLan's fashion design students were asked to create a range of stylish, marketable footwear for Bacup Shoes' Redfoot brand. Redfoot was launched in May 2007 and its innovative foldaway AfterParty shoes have been seen on television in Hollyoaks, Skins, My Family and Coronation Street.

Anna, 22, who is in her final year of a BA hons fashion design degree, created a men's version called The Rush Hour Shoe.

She said: "I got my inspiration for the shoe after seeing men in London's rush hour.

"I go down there a lot and always see them leaving the office, reaching into a plastic bag or rucksack and changing into their big trainers so they can run to catch a tube or bus or walk home.

"I decided if I created a fold up and discreet after-party shoe then it would fit into their briefcases and would also be very trendy."

Anna, who admits to owning a "few hundred pairs of shoes", was among 35 students who entered the competition. She said: "I was really excited and completely overwhelmed by it. I was just really happy and delighted to get the recognition for my work and that was the most important thing."

Anna, who wants to pursue a career designing shoes when she graduates, received £500 and the chance to see her shoe in the Bacup Shoe Company's Autumn/Winter range.