NEWS that student nurses caught in the middle of a dispute can now graduate has been greeted with delight.

Last minute negotiations between Teesside University officials and representatives of the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education (Natfhe), prompted an end to a deadlock affecting 100 undergraduates.

The final year nursing students, who should have received their grades on Friday, were obstructed by lecturers protesting against workloads and conditions as part of Natfhe's national campaign.

At Teesside, this prompted staffs' refusal to take part in an assessment board to determine the students' grades.

Now, following talks to resolve the stalemate, they have agreed to release the results and end students' anxieties.

The decision comes just in time for them to register with nursing's two main statutory bodies before January 31, which is a requirement for the job.

George Selmer, students' union president, said: "We are absolutely delighted. Over the next few months, we have time to make sure this doesn't affect more students at Teesside or in the rest of the UK."

Natfhe representative John Constable and Professor Derek Fraser, Teesside's vice chancellor, issued a joint statement.

They said: "The university fully recognises the commitment and contribution of its staff and both sides agree that mechanisms need to be developed that will allow this to be formally and appropriately recognised."