A £150-a-week college course teaching 16-year-old girls how to walk in high heels has been branded a "silly gimmick".

Teenagers at South Thames College were sent on the six-week "Sexy Heels in the City" classes earlier this year, at a total cost of £750.

Course leader Chyna Whyne, a former backing singer to Peter Gabriel and Eric Clapton, claims she trains heel-wearers to walk safely and gain "sensual grace, elegance and ease".

But Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the Taxpayer’s Alliance, said: "This is a silly gimmick that’s most likely diverting money away from more needy parts of the college.

"Training young people to get them back to work can be good value for money, but this is clearly a case of frivolity.

"Taxpayers will question whether courses like this are necessary in a time of cuts."

The college, which has campuses in Wandsworth, Tooting, Roehampton and Merton, signed up for the course as part of its student enrichment project.

Five students attended the weekly classes, which draw upon the Alexander Technique to help improve posture through a series of feet exercises.

At the end of the course, they showed off their moves in a catwalk-style show at Broadgate Tower in Liverpool Street.

Ms Whyne said: "I use the Alexander Technique to teach women to walk with ease.

"Some women struggle with wearing high heels and getting bad posture.

"I helped these young girls with low self esteem develop confidence, and advised them on wearing heels safely."

Celina Mystery, 16, added: "Since I started the course I’ve felt more confident in my heels.

"I no longer get feet pain on a night out because I know what exercises to do before hand.

"I’m happy I joined the course and now I can finally rock my heels."

A South Thames College spokesman said the course was run as an extracurricular one-off alongside other clubs such as sports and music.

They said it was aimed at helping girls to grow in confidence and helped them to integrate into college life.

Click here to view the course video