SIXTH formers marked the end of one era and the start of another as Barnard Castle School staged a glittering leavers’ ball for students, staff, friends and family.

Tuxes and ball gowns swept the dance floor in a celebration of schooling that has shaped young people’s lives.

The culmination of a year of school-wide fundraising, the end of term also marked a landmark £30,000 realised for various charities.