Students and teachers at schools throughout Eden and Lune were in seventh heaven as they received their well-earned results after two years of tests, course work and hard slog.

For Terry Hobson, head teacher at Appleby Grammar School, results were "as expected" with 62 per cent of pupils receiving five or more A* to C grades. Relieved Appleby pupil Chris Bailey, 16, said he was "so nervous" the night before that he could not sleep. However, he passed eight GCSEs and was "especially pleased" with his English B grade.

The story of girls out-performing boys was reversed at Settlebeck High School, Sedbergh.

Boys narrowly outstripped the girls, achieving 70.4 five or more A* to C grades compared with 61.1 per cent for the girls.

Head teacher Dave Smith said the change "was nice to see" and put the difference down to the fact that the boys in the year had been marginally stronger.

Settlebeck student Samantha Bradley, 16, moved a step closer to achieving her ambition to become a vet with a string of top grades.

Speaking of the pressures of the GCSE years, she admitted that there "is a lot riding on your results."

Another Settlebeck pupil, Andrew Bonsall, 16, said he believed that GCSE exams were becoming easier but more stressful.

He said: "There is more paperwork making things more stressful for teachers. They are then less able to give us the time we need."

At Sedbergh School, Victoria Hirst and Matthew Seddon, both from Sedbergh, contributed to the school's 92.5 per cent A*-C pass rate by achieving 18 grade A and A* grades between them.

At Settle High School, Rowan Swale, 16, gave a storming performance with eight and a half GCSEs at A* and an A grade in Art and Design which she took a year early. She also received one of the best four marks in the country for drama with the AQA board.

Modest Rowan said: "I didn't think I was going to do so well - I was checking my results and I couldn't believe it."

At Queen Elizabeth School, Kirkby Lonsdale, pupils and teachers were also celebrating exam success.

Rita Birchhall, 16, said: "I did really well and got what I wanted to study primary education."

Kirkby Stephen Grammar School pupils also achieved "excellent grades" with a two per cent improvement on last year's results with 58.2 per cent of pupils achieving five or more A* to C grades.

Head teacher David Keetley congratulated the students for their hard work and "the teaching staff for their skill."