FOR as long as can be remembered, nervous English students have opened their examination papers expecting to be asked for in-depth analysis of the famous works of Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy, TS Eliot et al.

But this summer, decades of tradition were bizarrely turned upside down as A-level candidates across the country were tested on the bantering of two North-East DJs and the Premiership form of Middlesbrough FC.

Radio Cleveland presenters Bob Fischer and Mark Drury have long held heated weekly debates on life at the Riverside Stadium during their Gobstopper show.

They were stunned when a leading examiner used one of their rows as the basis for a question that could go a long way towards deciding those all-important grades.

Thousands of teenagers were amazed to find that they were being quizzed on Mendieta and not Mercutio, Ricketts instead of Romeo, and Juninho rather than Juliet.

The question asked candidates to consider the presenters' use of language during a show in which they aired their views ahead of a crucial match last season.

The Boro strikeforce and the ball control of Jonathan Greening - now with West Bromwich Albion - had to be scrutinised.

The question was the idea of regular listener Rob Myers, who happens to be chief examiner for A-level English literature and language.

He recorded the show and structured a question around the pair's verbal sparring.

"According to the examiners, the students who tackled the question on Mark and Bob answered it better than any other question," said Mr Myers.

"On paper it might look to be incoherent speech, but that's why the students are set these analysis questions.

"I listen to their programme before going to the match every week and decided to use them only at the last minute."

Mr Drury said: "I was gobsmacked and thought it was a wind-up when Rob called.

"But it is nice to know this has gone nationwide and especially nice to know thousands of people will have read what Bob and I thought of Jonathan Greening's form."

Mr Fischer said: "We had to keep quiet about the exam thing all summer because they told us that if any students were listening, they might get a head-start.

"It was very difficult for us to keep our mouths shut as we make a living from keeping them open."