COLLEGE students have had their achievements recognised in an end-of-year ceremony.

Joe Robinson and Lizzie Woods became the 95th recipients of the silver St Cuthbert's Cross, an award presented annually at Northallerton College.

Principal Michael Hill told the leavers' assembly: "They have done an enormous amount of work on behalf of the college and shown incredible commitment while pursuing their academic studies."

Joe, 18, of Over Dinsdale, has completed 200 hours work as a millennium volunteer and taken part in a three-week renovation project at an orphanage in Malawi. He has also been involved in hedge-laying as part of an environmental project and been an active member of the rugby team.

Lizzie, 18, of Thornton-le-Moor, has also completed 200 hours with the millennium volunteers and went on the Malawi trip. She was part of a peer mentoring group and co-ordinated a shoebox-for- Romania appeal.

Sports excellence awards went to Richard Whincup, 18, Luke Brudenell, 17 and Chris Dixon, 18, of Brompton, and Tyrone Crow, 18, of Northallerton, for football, cricket, rugby and athletics respectively.

The Ben Hyde Award was presented for the second year in memory of a former student who was killed in Iraq in 2003.

It went to Kirsty Thompson, 17, and Craig Johnson, 16, both of Northallerton, for their enthusiasm and determination in a variety of activities.

At the Year 11 leavers' assembly the top trophy, the John Dennis Award, was presented to the students who had contributed most to the character and reputation of the college.

The crystal trophies, named after the chairman of the governing body, went to Lawrence Rab and Sara Boomsma, both 16, of Romanby.