A BLACKBURN College student has come in the top five out of 3,000 candidates nationally in this summer's A-level geography examination.

Mark Smith, who studied at the college's Sixth Form Centre, will go on to read geography at Downing College, Cambridge.

Also Oxbridge-bound from the centre are Nerina McAlister, who will read law at Worcester College, Oxford, and Sarah Broadley, who will study chemistry at St Catherine's, Oxford.

Three students from the centre achieved a full house of AS-level A grades -- Steven Ashworth, Lauren Brindle and Gemma Fielding.

Meanwhile, at Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, Oliver Grady was awarded one of the top five marks nationally in English Language and Literature out of 3,632 candidates who sat the exam.

And three students, Michael Dewar, Sam Ghosh and John Whittaker, gained five grade A passes.

Eleven pupils have won places at Oxford and Cambridge -- a new record for the school.

Headmaster Martyn Morris said almost all students had won the university places they wanted, which was a tribute to their hard work and that of the staff