TERRIFIED teenagers from St Albans and Harpenden waited with baited breath as they read through the grades that could lead to a glittering university life as A-level results came out on Thursday (July 15.)

Friends from Sandringham School in The Ridgeway, St Albans, busily discussed their results and their plans.

Elizabeth Slater passed three A levels and an AS level while her friend Jackie Humphries received an A and three B grades

Elizabeth said: "We had both planned to go to the Kent Institute of Art and Design (KIAD) but we needed the right grades. Thankfully we both got what we needed."

Nathaniel Elaini said: "I took maths and physics which are very similar but I got an A for one and an E for the other. Basically I am going to take a gap year and study on my travels around America before I go to Bristol University."

Mathew Beames said: "I am planning on taking a gap year and working now I have my results."

At Oaklands College student Lorraine Clifton picked up the results for the Business A level she studied while working full-time at an opticians.

She said: "I am so pleased. I got an A grade which surprised me because I found the exams quite hard. I am hoping one day to run my own opticians franchise and the things I learned on this course will help me with that."

Fellow student Sarah Graham got three B grades for English Literature, Sociology and Film Studies and also plans to study film at KIAD.

She said: "I am very pleased with the results I got although I wish I could say I got three A's."

For a full round up of results see Thursday's (August 22) St Albans and Harpenden Observers.