THEY dressed up in their finest frocks and smartest suits for a night to remember at their school leavers' prom in a top hotel.

As teenagers from Redbridge Community School in Southampton stepped out in style to make a grand entrance from their luxurious limousines and classic cars they were looking forward to an evening of fine dining and dancing at the Botleigh Grange.

The following day some of the revellers celebrating the end of their school days remembered the night for all the wrong reasons after coming down with a stomach bug.

Hotel bosses insist that the reported problems could not be attributed to the four star venue in Hedge End.

However, as a gesture of goodwill the hotel has fully refunded the school for the cost of the prom which attracted around a hundred guests.

Richard Schofield, the headteacher of Redbridge Community School in Cuckmere Lane said: "A mistake had occurred. The hotel has dealt with it professionally and to our satisfaction.

"They have completely refunded the money to us and we have told the youngsters to come and collect their refund at the beginning of September."

Hotel manager Sonia Young said: "The school has been a valued customer for a number of years and has already rebooked to hold its 2008 prom here.

"We have been in contact with the school which reported that one or two students felt ill after their prom night and although there is no proof that the pupils suffered as a result of eating and drinking here we took the decision to offer a refund as a gesture of goodwill.''