THINGS got a bit "hairy" during a college hairdressing department's annual competition and prize night when the dryers blew a fuse.

Events at Nelson and Colne College's Graham Seville hairdressing and beauty evening were put on hold for a short time as organisers got the hairdryers working again.

The hair-raising experience failed to put a dampener on the occasion at the Comfort Inn, Burnley, and the night was a great success as students put on a display of hair and beauty expertise.

Donna Earnshaw, 22, of Edge End Avenue, Brierfield, received a national award for salon hygiene. The former Edge End High School, Nelson, pupil achieved the highest marks of 1,500 students nationwide who sat the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene exam.

College press spokesman Sara Attwood-Jones said: "The dryers just stopped working and the room went silent. They managed to get them going again but afterwards they made sure they weren't all operating at the same time."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.