EMOTIONS were running high at Droitwich Spa High School when anxious students collected their A-level results.

Two years of hard work was finally over for the pupils at the Briar Mill school when they picked up the long-awaited results last Thursday.

A computer glitch at the school, which meant teachers were unable to give comparisons of the results with last year's figures, failed to dampen the high spirits and many students celebrated their grades with congratulations from proud parents, friends and teachers.

Mari Bardell, of Meadow Road, Westlands, was celebrating after she achieved As in biology, chemistry, maths and general studies. She will now go to Cardiff University to study medicine.

The excited 18-year-old said: "I really didn't expect to get four As, so it is a bit of a shock. I needed an A and two Bs to be able to study at Cardiff, so I was really happy with what I got.

"I really don't think it's sunk in yet," she added.

Rachel Moore was all smiles as well when she received her results. She received As in biology, history, English literature and general studies.

The Shernal Green resident will now be studying English at Exeter University.

"I don't think you know how well you've done in your exams until you get your results, so I was really pleased when I found out what I had got," she said.

Student, Charlotte Rose fought off glandular fever in her second year of studying to get Bs in maths, biology and art.

Now she plans to study applied biology at Reading University .

"It was fine in the first year of my A-levels but then in the second year I had glandular fever and was quite ill so it was quite difficult," she said.

Mark Williams, of The Ridings, was told he would get three Us and a D in his exams but he pulled out all the stops and managed to achieve a B, C and a D in physics, history and general studies. He hopes his grade will now be good enough to get him a place at Birmingham University to read Russian studies.

Eventually he would like to become a Royal Marines officer.

James Thompson was pleased when he received three Cs and a D in French, German, computing and general studies.

He will now go to Aberystwyth University where he will take business studies with German, with the hope of working in Europe.

Headteacher Cledwyn-Davies said he was very proud of all of his students.

"Many of the students seem to have done very well, I haven't seen many unhappy faces either, which is always great.

"Obviously with the computers down at the moment, we cannot see how good the results are compared to last year but at first glance they look very good.

"Our students are working harder and harder each year to obtain the good results they do and now with the introduction of AS-levels in the first year of the A-levels, youngsters are able to sift out which subjects they are better at and which ones they need to work on more.

"That is why the results are getting better, not because A-levels are getting any easier. I am very proud of all of my students who have worked hard to get good grades or better grades than they were predicted, they all deserve the success they have worked for."