A PUPIL from south-west Durham has received one of the top five GCSE science marks in England and competed in a national gymnastics competition.

Laura Donohue, 16, from Rush Park, Bishop Auckland, scored one of the top five marks in her Dual Award Science paper out of the 35,188 students who sat the exam.

The subject combines chemistry, biology and physics and leads to two exam grades. In total, the overjoyed student received nine A* and one A at St John's RC Comprehensive, Bishop Auckland.

She did all this despite also having to train for the British Gymnastic Championship with Deerness Gym Club, near Durham City, which came second in the competition.

Laura, who plans to study biology and chemistry at her school's sixth form college said: "It was quite hard to juggle my revision with my gymnastic training.

"But I tried hard because I know I will be disappointed if I don't try my best."

At Parkside Comprehensive School in Willington, Katherine Partington received seven A* grades and three A grades after opting to study for an art GCSE in her own time, turning up for lessons during her lunch time and after school.

Head of year 11, Barbara Hetherington said: "She's always cheerful and quietly determined. I'm really pleased for her."