Pupils gearing up with glamour

They came in fire engines and they came in limos. Some even came in a Reliant Robin. But all came with one thing in mind - enjoying one of the most memorable nights of their school lives at the prom.

Are you celebrating the end of school with a prom? We want your photographs - and don't forget to add details of the event and the names of all your friends in the pictures. We will print the best in the Express & Star and put all the pictures on our website. Email proms@expressandstar.co.uk

Last night kicked off the new season of school proms, the time for students to mark the end of their school career with a good old fashioned knees-up.

Thousands of youngsters will take part in the new tradition, borrowed from High Schools in America. Last night, the evening provided the students with a night of light relief ahead of their important GCSE exams.

Around 40 students from the Royal Wolverhampton School danced the night away at Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis and Squash Club last night.

There was the traditional laughing at teachers' dance moves, but it was soft drinks all round as the youngsters marked the beginning of their GCSE study leave. Louise Cooper, 16, from Lower Penn, put together the prom committee.

Louise, who is staying on at the Royal to do her A-Levels, said: "It was just something for everyone to do one last time and and have one final night together.

"It's been brilliant seeing everyone having a smile on their face and enjoying themselves. Everyone looks gorgeous."

Emily Timmins, 16, from Newbridge, will be going to King Edward VI College in Stourbridge to study her A-levels in dance, drama, psychology and English literature.

Her fond memories of the night will be arriving at the bash in a limo and seeing the boys arrive in a fire engine.

School nurse Helen Burrell added: "They did have a prom last year, but they didn't have as much input. They've had exactly what they wanted this year, hopefully."

In the run up to the prom, a series of student events raised £631 for WINGS, the Wombourne Special Needs Support Group.

Elsewhere, 16-year-old Rebecca Keen took advantage of her parents' passion for three-wheelers by hitching a lift to her prom in a replica Only Fools and Horses van.

Mother Julie Keen, aged 42, of Birchtree Gardens, Quarry Bank, said her daughter had been looking forward to surprising her friends from Heathfield Foundation Technology College in Cradley Heath.

"It's something different to the stretched limos" she said ahead of the prom at Dudley's Village Hotel.

By Mike Woods