Paris, Sep 28 (IANS): Supermodel Hollie-May Saker punched a topless female protester after the latter stormed the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week.

Saker, from Anfield in Liverpool, admitted her "Scouse-ness came out" when two barechested supporters of Femen, a feminist Ukrainian protest group, invaded the stage during designer Nina Ricci's show, reports mirror.co.uk.

She ended up punching one of them.

The 18-year-old told the Liverpool Echo that it was one of the biggest shocks of her life and she could do nothing but fight back against the woman who grabbed her.

Defending her act, Saker said: "I punched her - I didn’t mean to but she grabbed my arm and I just wanted to get her off me. I was the 19th girl out of the catwalk and I could hear screaming behind me. The next thing I just see half-naked women with black marker pen scrawled across their bare chests and that’s when she came at me.

“As she grabbed my arm she lifted my skirt exposing me - I pulled my arm back with such force that I landed a punch square on her nose. I was so angry but I knew I had to be professional so I carried on walking with a bit of sassiness."

Saker admits "my Scouseness came out a bit, but I wish it had come out a bit more".

"Thinking about it now I wish I’d pushed them both off the stage because they ruined my favourite show. I had been looking forward to the Nina Ricci show for so long, whether I was modelling in it or not, it’s such a beautiful collection.

"I was really worried to come back stage but nobody said anything - I felt bad the moment it happened and I was very shaken up by it,” she added.