YOUNGSTERS across the county were celebrating their GCSE results yesterday, with a handful gaining some of the top marks in the country.

Two 16-year-old students from Northallerton College celebrated a double success as they walked away with some of the country's best marks in design and technology graphics.

Thomas Hutchinson and Nicholas Lee were delighted when they received their results yesterday, with Thomas achieving eight A* and three As, and Nicholas six A* and four As.

Top of the class overall at the college was 16-year-old Emma Lyle, who took 11 subjects and achieved A* in all of them.

Amongst a crop of excellent results from Bootham School, in York, four top musicians were celebrating not only A* in GCSE music, but a further ten A* and As each.

Pupil James Freeman discovered he had gained one of the top five marks for music in the country.

At an independent school near Thirsk, 16-year-old Sophia Kaye received a letter of congratulation from the examining board on her English results.

Sophia, of Queen Mary's School, in Topcliffe, was awarded one of the highest marks in English literature out of 379,017 candidates who sat the examination this summer.

Joint principal Peter Belward said: "I am absolutely thrilled with all our results this year, particularly with Sophia's, and I think it reflects the abilities of the staff and the hard work and commitment of the students."

Many schools celebrated a marked increase in the percentage of pupils achieving grades A* - C. Harrogate Ladies College saw a six per cent increase, The Wensleydale School, in Leyburn, three per cent and Northallerton College 2.5 per cent.

Reflecting on the results, headteacher of Bootham School, Ian Small, said the suggestion of dropping GCSE's was only superficially attractive.

He said: "We know that teenage students can change their minds about their career choices.

"Pushing on to fewer AS levels early may force students into a narrower choice than we feel is sensible, at too early a stage."

Pupils at Archbishop Holgate's School, in York, were also in high spirits after achieving the schools strongest GCSE results to date. The results have put it into the national list of the most improved schools for the second year in succession.