DURHAM students achieved a whitewash over rowing team rivals Newcastle.

Durham University Boat Club were first over the finish line in all four contests of the eighth Northumbrian Water University Boat Race yesterday.

Boat club president Katie Oven, 22, said: "It was a clean sweep and we are absolutely delighted.

"This event is very important to us because there is a lot of local pride at stake."

Durham beat Newcastle University's teams in the novice women's eights, novice men's eights, women's first eights and men's first eights, over a 1,800-metre stretch of the Tyne, running under the Gateshead Millennium Bridge.

It follows the university's success earlier this year, when the boat club won the British Universities Rowing Championship.

The crowds were also treated to jet ski displays and dragon boat racing, and entertainment on land from street theatre group Artizani and the Newcastle All Stars Steel Band.

The winners were not planning celebrations last night. Miss Oven said: "Exams start on Monday for us and for Newcastle, so we cannot do too much celebrating.

"But all the crews are very happy."