Camera on student life

The students live in the house rent-free

Four students and a dog are being watched 24 hours a day in their house in Durham on a new website aimed at prospective undergraduates.

The secret location in the city is filmed by web cameras set up by the company, studentlifelive.com.

Emilie, Lucinda, Si, Chris and their canine pal, Murphy, have swapped their privacy for one year's rent-free accomodation and a constant supply of beer.

The project imitates the online version of the hit TV show, Big Brother, which had more than one million visitors.

Kids' language

Cameras have been placed in every room in the house apart from the bathroom.

Local businessman, Andrew Mitchell, came up with the idea to promote his website.

It offers reviews and advice for young people thinking of coming to Durham to study.

He said: "It's a way to make young kids aware of university life in a language they can relate to, better than the traditional information written by academics."

But Mr Mitchell said web surfers were unlikely to catch the housemates doing anything too salacious.

"The cameras are just a way of drawing people onto the site.

"When the four are out at lectures, we might link up to a university department or the library."

Celebrity house

Lucinda, a 20-year-old geography student, said the household is enjoying its emerging stardom.

"People who recognise us on campus are more intrigued than anything.

"They joke that we'll have the best parties with all our free beer."

Simon Culley, also 20, studying sports science, said: "I think we've pretty much forgotten the cameras are there.

"Mind you, I can imagine coming out of the shower and wandering around the house naked."

There are plans to expand the site to include web camera coverage of students in Sunderland, Newcastle, York, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh.