THE annual rights of passage for Winchester’s 15-16-year-olds saw prom dresses and classic cars of every colour last Friday.

Celebrations marked the end of an era for the post-GCSE students of Kings, Perins, the Westgate and Thornden, but the start of things to come for many.

Kings School hosted its own prom, seeing Porches, Bentleys and even a couple of mobility scooters pull up to deliver the esteemed guests.

Botley Grange Hotel was the scene for Perins pupils who donned glitzy dresses and dashing tuxedos for the occasion.

Westgate school – Hampshire’s only all-through school – hired the Ageas Bowl out for the evening for their year 11s, who entered the arena via the red carpet.

And Winchester’s Guildhall hosted Thornden School students, based in Chandler’s Ford.

Teens turned up in a rally of Mini Coopers that lined the Broadway before the teens took their final steps up to the Bapsy Hall.

Some smartly dressed youths did their bit to support the countryside by turning up on a cart packed with bales of hay.