IT was a day of agony and ecstasy for hundreds of local students who received their A-level results on Thursday. (August 19).

While some can now joyfully start preparing for university, others had to cope with disappointment.

Bury College and Holy Cross College did not achieve the national pass rate of 88.5 per cent but Bury College matched its own result from last year and Holy Cross saw an improvement.

Bury Grammar School (Girls) maintained last year's success rate and led the way locally with a 97 per cent pass rate. But Bury Grammar School (Boys) slipped to 92.4 per cent from last year's all-time high of 97.2 per cent.

Bury Council's cabinet member for lifelong learning, Councillor Andrea Hughes, said: "The initial information on this year's results would indicate that once again, students in Bury have done extremely well.

"Congratulations are due to all those who achieved success in this year's exams and, I am sure, there will be relief that the long wait is finally over amongst students and parents alike!"

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