TORRIDGE teenagers have picked up their A-level results amid what was said to be one of the hardest fights for university places.

Nearly 200,000 students nationwide were said to be left without their choice of university places, but many were celebrating success at Bideford College and Kingsley School.

Bideford College students got the opportunity to have the first peek at the college's new £55 million building as they picked up results from the new site.

Stacey New, 18, from Bideford gained As in Geography and Psychology, a C in Environmental Science and was one of around 8% of students to get the new A* grade in sociology.

She got into Exeter University where she will be studying geography with the hope of becoming a teacher and one day returning to Bideford College as a member of staff.

She said: "I'm really looking forward to going to university and I didn't expect the results. I'm definitely pleased."

Another student to obtain the new highest grade was 18-year-old Tom Hunt from Abbotsham.

He gained an A* in electronics as well as three As in physics, maths and music technology and will go on to study electrical engineering at Southampton next month.

He said: "I was expecting reasonable grades as I put in a lot of effort, but I'm tremendously happy. I was worried about the lack of university places at the application stages, but I didn't see too much of the pressure.

"It will be quite sad leaving the college because of the brand new building, but I need to become more independent and have a change of lifestyle."

Christopher Hyland, 19, from Clovelly achieved three As in English literature, history and biology and is going on to University College of London to study linguistics.

He said he was "very jealous" he didn't get to use the college's new building, but was happy with his results.

Robert Broomfield, 19, from Northam, said it was like the students were being teased with the new building.

He said: "It looks fantastic and is going to be a really good thing for all the students coming through.

"I'm ecstatic with my results — I wasn't expecting to do so well. In English literature I was expecting a D, needed a C and got a B.

"It was terrifying to wake up this morning to find 200,000 people were going to be disappointed, but all of my friends have got in where they wanted."

Principal Veronica Matthews said: "Most students have secured their preferred university courses in spite of what we understand to be the national picture.

"The results are a reflection of the dedication of staff and students and the support and encouragement of parents and carers.

"We are very proud of them and what they have achieved and wish them all well for the future."

At nearby Kingsley School 97% of students passed their A Levels, with 82.5% gaining A* to C, a new record for the school.

Seven per cent of students gained the new A* grade, 23% at grade A, and 32% at grade B.

Sam Walder achieved two A*, an A and a C; Rosanna Jury and Tom Loka gained two A* and an A; Bethan Waters and Alec Cao were each graded an A*, two As and a B; Ashleigh Clayton gained A*, an A and a B and John Hodgson took away three As.

Headmaster Andy Waters paid tribute to the hard work, commitment and dedication of Kingsley School's staff and students and wished the students every success in the future.

He said: "These are outstanding results, an excellent start for our new school, and they show the strength and depth of the sixth form.

"We always encourage students to sit the exams of their choice, and they have been highly self-motivated this year.

"The Sixth Form and their teaching and tutorial staff should be hugely proud of these achievements, and they demonstrate the strong academic foundation upon which our school is built."