BOLTON School has topped the Lancashire independent school tables for GCSE results.

The Boys Division took top spot of the county's 11 independent schools while the Girls Division were second in the county tables, collated by the Independent Schools Council, which ranked schools by GCSE results.

A* grade scores are awarded eight points and G grades one point.

The tables showed Bolton School boys with average point scores of 125 for A* grades, 92.6 points for As and 396 points for Bs.

The girls gained a 112 point average for A* grades, 68.7 points for As and 385 points per B.

Bolton School boys Division headmaster Mervyn Brooker said: "The boys will definitely have smiles on their faces when they hear this. They are all sportsmen and are quite competitive - in the best possible way - so I am sure they will be pleased.

"This is great news particularly because boys always seem to be slated for coming second nationally as well as at Bolton School."

Mr Brooker attributed the excellent results to "old fashioned elbow grease" and "hard graft."

Bury Grammar School (Girls) came in third position while Bury Grammar School Boys was in fifth position.