YOUNG achievers returned to school for a ceremony to celebrate their GCSE success.

Students who left Sunnydale School, in Shildon, last summer were presented with awards by Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo.

Students achieved the best examination results in the school's history - which had rallied after being earmarked for closure in 2003 and has since been praised by Ofsted.

Headteacher Sue Byrne said: "The students' achievements are all the more remarkable given the turmoil the school had gone through during their time at Sunnydale."

Special awards for overall performance went to Lisa Harrison and Robert Nevison, who both earned the equivalent of 11 higher grade GCSE passes.

Other winners were:

Art - Katie Mason; business studies - Daniel Potter; child care - Stephanie Colvin; citizenship - Tessa Siddle; DT food tech - Christopher Sumpton; DT graphic

products - Holli Tweddle; DT resistant materials - Andrew Bainbridge; English - Kayleigh Matthews; English Literature - Bethan Maguire; geography - Ryan Taylor; history - Thomas Foster; ICT - Laura Horner; GNVQ ICT - Kirstie Jones; manufacturing - Lee Robson; maths - Rachel Moyle; MFL

- Callum Costello; music - Stephen Horan; GCSE PE - Daniel Atkinson; RE (full course) Lisa Harrison; RE (short course) Anna Tillotson; science - Christopher Mason;

head prefects - Laura McGrath and Robert Nevison; deputy head prefects - Katie Mason and Kieran Thompson.