Three of our Sixth Form students transformed themselves into Punk Princesses recently to help raise funds for a new chemotherapy unit at Bishop Auckland Hospital.

"The Little Black Dress' Fashion Show, which was held at Hardwick Hall, told the story of how the black dress has consistently made a bold fashion statement throughout the decades from the 1920's to the present day.

Billiejo, Rebecca and Sarah , all studying A Level Art at the Academy, were pleased to show their support for the worthy cause by modeling a selection of outfits representative of the punk and grunge era, all of which they had designed and created themselves specifically for the event.

Teacher of Art, Mrs Ashman, who accompanied the girls to the event, assisted with the spectacular hair and make-up that completed the outfits. She said, "The girls were almost unrecognisable on the day. We pride ourselves on having some of the most creative students in the region and their design work is always outstanding however, they rarely get to actually "wear' their work so this was great fun. All three created an authentic representation of the era in a short space of time, which shows just how talented they are."

Rebecca, who became the "Queen of Leather' for a day said: "I am normally extremely feminine and quite quiet by nature so my outfit is so out of character for me! I was a little nervous about appearing in the show but I have really enjoyed it. This is a cause that is close to my heart so I am proud to have been a part of it."