TUXEDOS and tears will be plentiful when youngsters hold their end-of-year dance to celebrate what for some will be the end of their school career.

Year 11 pupils at Pershore High School are organising their school leavers' dance on Tuesday before they throw themselves into their GCSE exams at the end of the month.

Some of them are leaving for good and many of them have been together since they were at primary school, so headteacher Clive Corbett is predicting a few tears on the night.

Some of the 16-year-olds - three-quarters of whom are staying on in the sixth form - are due to arrive in limousines and all 150 youngsters will be dressed to the nines for the black-tie ball.

"It's going to be very emotional," said Mr Corbett. "It's their last chance to be together as a group because they start their exam study on Wednesday, and the first exam is the following Monday, May 24. Some of them have been together since the age of five - the vast majority went to primary school together in the area.

"They have also produced a year book along the lines of the American year books so they have got pictures of everyone and memories of everyone."

Mr Corbett thanked Year 11 head Paul Watson and Debbie Morgan, assistant head of Year 11, for their hard work organising the ball.

n Look out for the Evening News Prom Special on Monday, when there will be photos of end-of-year dances at Bishop Perowne High School, Worcester, and St Mary's Convent, Worcester.