Star support for charity’s Big Bra Hunt

British women are hoarding nearly £1.2bn worth of unworn bras, or nine each bought for around £16, according to Oxfam.

The charity’s Big Bra Hunt aims to collect one million bras during April with the support of celebrities including Dame Helen Mirren, Zoe Ball and Miquita Oliver.

Many of the bras will be sold in Oxfam’s high street shops to raise money for the charity’s work worldwide while others will be sent to the charity’s Frip Ethique (ethical second-hand clothing) project in Senegal.

The project trades unsold clothes from Oxfam shops and provides employment for disadvantaged women in the area.

Oxfam said the complex manufacturing required to make bras meant very few developing countries produced their own, making them one of the most desirable items in West African second-hand clothing markets.

Dame Helen Mirren said: “I’m sure many women have a number of bras stowed away left untouched for years. The Big Bra Hunt really highlights how every last item donated to Oxfam can be used in a truly unique way, making a real difference to people all around the world.”