HARD-working students celebrated completing their studies at Accrington and Rossendale College last night.

The event at Accrington Town Hall saw hundreds of pupils presented with degrees, certificates and diplomas.

Dave Tyas, higher education development manager at the college, said: “Our students work incredibly hard and that is reflected in the outstanding grades they’ve achieved this year. “This is a wonderful opportunity for them to get together and celebrate their achievements with their tutors, fellow students and their families.

“I think that they are the best advertisement possible to illustrate how higher education is open to all and the massive effect taking one of these courses can have on a person’s life.

“More than 20 per cent of our bachelor degree students received first-class honours and 55 per cent gained either a 1st or 2:1, which is well above the national average and a testament to the hard work by staff and students alike.”

The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) AAT Technician: Nicola Brandon, Laura Burns, Julie Croskery, Martin Dixon, Charlotte Ebbrell, Richard Eddleston, Anne Fox, Angela Grice, Danielle Lamprecht , Richard Lancaster, Susan Metcalfe, Julie Nuttall, Leanne Pye, Jemma Shaw, Leon Spencer, Pauline Stead, Nicola Whelan and Sarah Worrall.

Oxford Cambridge & RSA Examinations (OCR) NVQ Level 4 Administration: Jane Barkley, Helen Fletcher.

Liverpool John Moores University BA (Hons) Broadcasting, Film & Communication: Corrina Corbett, Lisa Derbyshire, Steven McLean, Jayne Morten, Jane Ravetali, Gregory Smalley, Emily Wildy and Natalie Gaff.

Diploma of Higher Education Broadcasting, Film & Communication: Matthew Hollows and Christy Maguire.

Certificate of Higher Education Broadcasting, Film & Communication: Garry Pickles and Sally Cottam.

BA (Hons) Health & Applied Social Studies: Jennifer Camps, Patricia Cannon, Michelle Clark, Nicholas Haworth, Geraldine Higgins, Dawn Hutchins, Desiree Jansen, Claire Johnson, Dawn Lord Great, Stephanie Phillips, Karen Robinson, Michelle Wilde and Tracy Woolley.

Edexcel HND Music Production: Matthew Bosson, Andrew Carter, Simmon Cleaves, Jason Edlin, Aaron Foster, Darren Holdaway, James Kennedy, Angur Miah, Paul Sanderson, Tim Ward, Robert Trotter, Rhys Bradley, Aaram Tehrani and John Hilditch-Hurst.

HNC Motor Vehicle Management: Matthew Lloyd. Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) Level 5 Diploma: Ian Blackburn, Paul Buckmaster, Sheila Lysons, Moira Staines, Josephine Wade, Christine Wilkinson, Michelle Rawcliffe, Claire Helen Powell,James Newell, John Cooper and Sandra Jameson.

University of Huddersfield Certificate in Education: Karen Birkett, Debra Boothman, Nicholas Hatch, Tracy Landon, Linda Lightfoot, Simon Moore, Lynne Newman, Lisa Patefield, Julie Procter, Andrea Sayers, Darren Solessi, Terry Spedding, Caroline Walker, Sarah Walton and Michael Yerbury. Liverpool John Moores University BA Health & Applied Social Studies: Patricia Cannon and Dawn Lownds.

Certificate of Higher Education - Health & Applied Social Studies: Sakina Ahmed and Annie Pickup.

BSc (Hons) Integrated Technology: Stephen Bailey, Adam Barcroft, Ryan Hoole, Mark Lowe and Christopher Wright.

The University of Bolton Foundation Degree Early Years (Childhood Studies): Kalida Begum, Kathryn Carr, Annette Newman and Linda Shore Foundation Degree Health & Social Care: John Ainslie, Shahreen Hussain, Emma Langan, Pamela Moore, Shahnaz Rasul, Corinne Stansfield and Shanaz Tariq.

University of Salford Foundation Degree Hospitality Management: Meryl Brailsford, Justine Harrison, Julie Hickey, Andrew Hipwell and Emma Pickup.

Certificate of Higher Education – Hospitality Management: Mohammed Miah.

Lancaster University Foundation Degree Teaching & Learning Support: Collette Frankel, Salma Hussain, Deborah Kelleher, Nighit Pervez, Amir Saeed,Beverley Smith, Marian Welch and Geraldine Woodburn.

Certificate of Higher Education – Teaching & Learning Support: Philip Higson. University of Huddersfield - Post-Graduate Certificate in Education: Brian Enderwitz, Claire Grimshaw, Rachel Mckenna, Susan Nightingale, Julie Rigby, Robert Rothery, Daniel Rowbottom, Claire Tattersall, Hilary Warren and Joanne Wray.