'It was like The Hunger Games meets the Duke of Edinburgh Award': Oxford University students camp outside estate agents for THREE DAYS to try and reserve the house they want

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Desperate Oxford students have been camping outside estate agents' offices for three days to try and reserve a flat for next year.

The bizarre scenes, which came amidst wind and rain from the tail-end of Storm Desmond, were evidence of undergraduates' desire to secure the best accommodation faced with a booming housing market.

Students dressed up in ski gear with one student even donning a helmet to protect himself from the elements in scenes compared to 'Hunger Games meets Duke of Edinburgh'.

Hardy: Oxford students pictured queuing to secure their rental property for next year

Letting agents' stock for the next academic year, which does not start until September, was released yesterday.

Some would-be renters started queuing at 7am on Sunday to be sure of getting the perfect property - with a particular stress on securing one of the limited number of properties with room for multiple housemates.

History graduate Roxanne Alexander, 23, told a student newspaper: 'Driving past the queue on Monday morning was like Hunger Games meets Duke of Edinburgh.

'I queued for over 24 hours in my first year to make sure I got a place with my friends. If you miss out you'll have to stay somewhere really horrible and probably alone.

'People are desperate to get the five-bedroom places with their mates because it works out cheaper. If you don't get there first you'll get split up and maybe have to stay in a horrible place with mould and other problems.

Protection: One student even wore a helmet to guard against bad weather while he was in the queue

Demand: Students say there are only a few desirable properties which hold multiple occupants

'Even though it was really rainy everyone camping was in surprisingly good spirits.

'It's become so common that people just accept it now. They just put on their ski and outdoor gear, get the sleeping bags and tents, and get ready for the wait.'

House prices in Oxford have soared in recent years thanks to the city's popularity with London commuters as well as the traditional student population.

Earlier this year, it was reported that the average home in Oxford was now worth £380,000, restricting the number of affordable rental properties.

Politics graduate Mags Chilaev, 23, said: 'This has been going on for ages, I camped out for 28 hours in first year with my friends and we didn't even get the house we wanted.

Demand: Oxford's housing market has soared in recent years thanks to an influx of London commuters

'There was this weird sense of community in the queue. When they're out camping for that long, there's a strange camaraderie, people are just terrified of ending up by themselves in substandard housing because good places are so few.'

The director of Finders Keepers letting agency, Simon Tyrrell, said: 'This has been going on for close to ten years.

'Students these days get loans not grants, and they want to spend their money on something worth having, and we pitch from mid to top market so we have what they want.

'The people who queue tend to know exactly what they want, and the main fear for them is ending up somewhere substandard.

'They're essentially reserving a place for next August. It's a very seasonal thing in Oxford, as people finish up term early in December. We have to double our staff around this time just to cope with sheer demand.'