TWO pals from Oswaldtwistle are top of the class after each notching up four grade As in their A-levels.

Delighted Naomi Gastall and Julianne Reddin, both 18, received their top results at Westholme School in Blackburn and are now looking forward to going to university.

Julianne, who lives in Fielding Lane with mum Denise, stepdad Peter, sister Kathryn, 14, and brother Francis, five, took exams in history, English literature, classics and general studies.

She will start a four-year MA in history at St Andrew's University, Scotland, in September. She said: "I'm looking forward to going to university but it is so far away - it takes seven hours in the car. I'm also nervous about making new friends. My mum was so pleased when I got the results - she was nearly crying."

Naomi, who coaches gymnastics at Hyndburn Sports Centre, lives in Hawthorn Avenue with parents Nigel and Delizia, and younger sister Heidi, 15. She took exams in maths, physics, chemistry and general studies and will move to Manchester next month to start a four-year degree course in chemical engineering at UMIST.

She said: "The school rang us up early on Thursday morning - they get the people who have done well to come in early for photographs. But when they told me I had got four As, I was really surprised as I didn't think I had done that well. There is so much pressure on you that in the end you have no idea how you've done."

Naomi's mum Delizia said: "We're really proud of her. She worked so hard and really deserved to do well."