COLLEGE students have set a record for the number of offers for places at Oxford and Cambridge universities.

Fourteen teenagers at Darlington's Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College have been offered places at one of the two prestigious establishments.

Simon Nicholson, who co-ordinates Oxbridge applications at the college, said: "Competition for Oxbridge places is intense. Not only do students have to excel academically they also have to undergo rigorous interviews to convince admissions tutors that they are worthy of a place.

"To date, 14 is the highest number of students from QE to ever be offered places and I'm absolutely delighted for them."

Nine have been offered places at Cambridge. They are Andrew Williamson (Geography), Laura Williams (Law), Laura Raine (Veterinary Science), Michael Dyson (Maths), Rachael Roberts (Architecture), Adam Shield (Natural Science), Charlotte Pollock (Natural Science), Sophie Madden (History) and Georgia van Raalte (Theology).

The five with offers from Oxford are Sam Hurst (Law), Jonathan Coulthard (Physics), Helen Robb (Politics, Philosophy & Economics), Michael Parry (Physics) and Helen Greetham (Archaeology & Anthropology).