TEENAGE twins Jonathan and Christopher Best are finally to be separated later this year - despite both receiving offers of places at Oxbridge universities.

The 17-year-old Durham brothers, near identical twins, have been class-mates throughout their school lives.

But with their A-levels looming at Durham School, the pair have been considering their future studies at university level.

Having attended interviews in December, the Best brothers have now received conditional offers of places at the country's two most prestigious universities.

But while Jonathan's offer is to read medicine at Trinity College, Oxford, Christopher has been invited to study law at Robinson College, Cambridge.

Christopher said that despite having always attended the same schools, they were not daunted at the prospect of being parted.

"We knew it was inevitable as we got older," he said.

Although at first glance they appear identical, Jonathan, the elder brother by five minutes, is slightly taller.

The Best twins are not the only Durham School pupils with Oxbridge opportunities on the horizon, as Robert Frater, from Hartlepool, has received an offer to read philosophy and modern languages at Queen's College, Oxford; and ex-Durham pupil Andrew Croft, who left the school last year, has a place to read theology at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.