It was a nailbiting time for thousands of sixth-formers as they waited anxiously for their A-level results.

In Bromley, knees were trembling as potential university students finally found out if they had made the grade to start in September.

For some there was disappointment when they opened the envelope but, for others, there was relief and joy that months of study had finally paid off.

Sports-mad Laura Thomas did not just do well in her A-levels, she was one of the best in the country.

The 18-year-old, from Keswick Road, Orpington, scored top marks in her Sports Science exam which she took at Bullers Wood school in St Nicolas Lane, Chiselhurst, and was in the top five of the 2,498 students who sat the exam.

Laura, is planning to spend her gap year playing tennis at California State University in the United States

for a year while sitting classes in liberal studies.

When she returns she has been accepted to study geography at Nottingham University.

Laura, who plays netball and hockey as well as being the county champion at tennis, was modest about her achievement.

She said: “I really did not think I had done that well.

“In fact I thought I had really messed up the sports science exams. It was so unexpected but it is a dream come true for me to be able to go to America

to study for a year and then come back and go to Nottingham.”

Besides Laura, there were other success stories across the borough.

At Bromley High School, in Blackbrook Lane, Bromley, two students gained places at Oxford University.

Loretta Platts will read Human Sciences at Lady Margaret Hall and Hannah Charlick will read English at Magdalen College.

Deputy headteacher Sue Mitchell said: “All the girls have worked hard to earn these grades and we are all proud of them.”

Patrick John