Abingdon School is in seventh heaven this morning after five teenagers were in the top 10 nationally for chemistry and one of them achieved seven A grades.

Howard Loh, 19, scored his A level grades in accounting, Chinese, chemistry, economics, maths, further maths and physics.

Chemistry classmates Joseph Delo, 18, from Abingdon, Harry Desmond, 17, from Cold Ash in Berkshire, Timothy Kong, 19, from Hong Kong, and Timothy Middleton 18, from Goring, were all placed in the top 10 in the country for the subject.

Also celebrating were Kevin Cheung, 19, and Leonid Ganins, 19, with six A grades each.

Headmaster Mark Turner said: "We are delighted with this year's A level results.

"In particular, our chemistry results were exceptional. To have five boys achieve results in the top 10 of all Edexcel's 6,421 candidates in the country is outstanding."

Harry Desmond, 17, from Cold Ash, near Thatcham in Berkshire was among the pupils who was in the top ten in the country for chemistry - he also scored an A in four other subjects.

He said: "I am really pleased with the results, I was expecting As, but I don't think As are the end of the story, I think getting almost full marks is more important.

"I am going to celebrate by relaxing and not doing much."

Joseph Delo, 18, from Lower Radley, got 599 marks out of 600 for his chemistry A-level, along with As in biology, physics and maths and A in religious studies AS and will be taking up a place at Magdalen College, Oxford, to study medicine.

He said: "I am relieved because it means I have got the grades to get into university.

"I don't mind losing the one mark, it was a bit of a joke really, it is getting the A that matters."