A STUDENT has faced an “unpleasant backlash” over her award-winning chair designed to stop “manspreading”.

University of Brighton student Laila Laurel won a major award for the seat which is crafted so that men sit with their legs closed.

She said the “concept” chair was inspired by her experiences of men “infringing on my space in public”.

>> University of Brighton student designs chair to stop 'manspreading'

But since the award, she said: “I have received a lot of explicit messages from men who seem to be under the impression that I hate all men.

“This couldn’t be further from the truth frankly”.

The term “manspreading” refers to the practice of someone sitting with their knees so far apart it encroaches on the personal space of people next to them.

She said was inspired by her own experiences of “manspreading” and other women’s stories of sexism.

She said she was also inspired by the “The Everyday Sexism Project”, founded by Laura Bates, which collects women’s daily experiences of gender inequality.