A CLUB night that encourages young women to dress as glamour girls has been branded sexist by students.

Scores of students at Essex University have reacted with outrage over the Playboy Mansions event, which is due to be held on the Wivenhoe Campus this Friday evening.

The themed club night, organised by events promoters, Flirt!, was postponed by entertainment bosses at the Student Union earlier this term, after a number of people expressed concern the event was demeaning to women.

The event, dubbed one of the “hottest nights you’ll ever come across”, encourages girls to wear bunny outfits, nurse outfits, uniforms and heels, while men are told to wear “anything to please your ladies”.

Promoters say: “Girls! Bunny outfits, nurse outfits, uniforms and heels, these should really be left unsaid but do surprise us if you can!”

A Facebook group urging the university to “bin the bunny” has been set up, attracting at least 314 students upset by the event.

Zeynep Koch, a law student at the university, said: “Why is a union like ours, which promotes equality, allowing such sexist and degrading events to take place?

“An educational institution supposedly representing the students should, of all places, be the last to organise and promote events like ‘Playboy Mansion’.”

But Malcolm Laquis-Alden, entertainments and events manager, said the event was just a bit of fun.

He said: “I don’t know why it has become such a big issue. I didn’t think it was particularly controversial, considering we have had ‘Go Commando’ night, which could have caused a lot more controversy, with people against the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

“If you wanted to, you could take offence to every Flirt! event we hold. It is all about having a bit of fun and letting off steam.”