THOUSANDS of North-East students celebrated securing their university places last night as A-level pass rates soared to a record high.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) said a record number of pupils had their university places confirmed.

Early indications showed the pass rate among Durham County Council's sixth forms, although still below the national average, rose by five per cent to 88.5 per cent.

The number of pupils getting two or more grades A-C rose from 49 per cent to 53 per cent.

North Yorkshire County Council reported students across the county topping the national average.

Pupils gaining grades A-C was two per cent higher than the national figure.

Nationally, the pass rate this year rose by 1.1 per cent to 95.4 per cent.

The top results came as business leaders said A-levels were becoming increasingly meaningless, and that the results were a result of "rampant grade inflation".

Ruth Lea, head of policy unit at the Institute of Directors, said: "A-levels are designed for an age of mass entrance into universities. As the university system has changed so have A-levels. They have been dumbed down."

But teachers hit back last night. Sue Mason, of Durham, who teaches at Chester-le-Street, said: "It is time someone stood up and said let's have an end to all this negativity.

"My daughter has just taken her A-levels - and got three As - and I know that the good results are down to all the hard work the teachers and students put in. We should be congratulating the students, not saying the exams are too easy."

Star students Jenna Bays and Joanna Lewis, at Newcastle's Dame Allen School, each got six straight A grades.

Ben Tyreman, from Prior Pursglove College in Guisborough, got 6 A-grades and three merits in physics, chemistry and maths, and is going to Churchill College, Cambridge, to read engineering.

Katie Liu, from Polam Hall School in Darlington, will also study engineering at Cambridge after getting 6 A grades.

A group of 52 pupils in Wales were still awaiting their A-level results today after their results slip showed only blank spaces.

Missionary zeal of A-level star Joel

BRAINY Joel Beevers learned yesterday that he was one of the brightest A-level students in the country - but he is not heading off to university yet.

Joel, 18, from Middlesbrough, received five As and took one of the top five marks in the country in three subjects - chemistry, biology and maths.

The Egglescliffe Comprehensive School pupil was also awarded As in general studies and music.

But before studying for a degree, he plans to get experience in local industry for a year before going off to work as a missionary.

"I admit I was expecting As, but I never thought I'd get some of the top marks in the country," he said.