THE red carpet was rolled out at a special Hollywood-style awards ceremony for school leavers returning to pick up their GCSE certificates.

Former pupils from Moorhead High, Accrington, were welcomed with sparkling drinks and canapes. They were also greeted by the flash of cameras as current pupils formed their own mini paparazzi to document the event.

Soap celebrity and former pupil Julie Hesmondhalgh, from Church, who plays Coronation Street's Hayley, was also on hand to give the ceremony a touch of showbiz glamour.

Addressing the pupils and parents, head teacher Andrew Bateman said: "The society we are living in is changing rapidly and we want to ensure that every young person has the skills to embrace all the opportunities so that they can be happy, successful and fulfilled in whatever walk of life they have.

"During the coming year I have confidence that Moorhead will maintain its position as an innovative, creative and successful provider of 11-16 education."

Awards included: Bimaljeet Aujila (business, RE), Stacey Begley (business, drama), Katie Bloomfield (service to school), Cleo Caverley (PE), Chris Guest (media, music), Neelam Hussain (history), Madiha Jahanzeb (English), Faisal Khan (PE), Lisa Lennon (technology, heath & social care), Lauren Lord (geography, health & social care), Kathryn Loveday (technology), Ashia Malik (history, geography), Nick Oates (science), Scott Oates (media, science), Nestor Worswick (music).

Current Year 11 pupils also received subject and progress awards.