THESE four friends were celebrating getting first-class honours degrees from York St John.

Abbigail Wright and Paul Rutherford, both 21, of Fountayne Street, York, Matthew Taylor, 22, from Haxby, and Victoria Shires, 22, from Leeds, all attended the degree ceremony at York Minster.

The four were best friends throughout their three-year art and design degree course, and were delighted to discover they had all come out top of their class.

"I don't think any of us can still believe how well we did," said Abbigail. "We all worked very closely throughout our degrees and egged each other on and I think that helped."

Abbigail has stayed on to study an MA at York St John, while working part-time at the Grand Opera House.

Victoria is head of the home department at Next in Leeds, and Paul and Matthew are planning to go into business together designing furniture.

Updated: 10:37 Monday, November 21, 2005