STUDENTS and staff at Bridgwater’s Haygrove School donned leg-warmers, sweatbands and other 1980s paraphernalia for a ‘Battle of the Bands’ contest which really rocked.

A total of 12 student bands and two staff bands performed classic 1980s pop songs with a rock star twist.

The School of Rock vibe was given an extra edge thanks to a superb lighting display choreographed by Haygrove’s sound technician, Ellwood Newbon, and the team from Radiation Event Lighting, who provided the lighting rig.

The evening was hosted by head of music Carl Whiteoak and student George Heath, who jointly delivered the jokes and one-liners expected of today’s music award show presenters.

Staff band ‘Metalican’t’ opened the show with a rousing rendition of ‘Word Up’, followed by re-interpretations of 80s hits such as ‘Kids in America’, performed by group Made in a Day, ‘Walking on Sunshine’ by The Hardley Fentons, and a stunning version of Queen classic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Somewhere on Earth.

The closing performance featured a trio of Haygrove staff aptly named WeBE40(ish) singing a high-octane version of Bonnie Tyler’s anthem ‘I Need a Hero’.

The judging panel voted The Hardley Fentons as the School of Rock champions and they were also named best band for audience participation.

‘Best Guitar Solo’ of the evening went to ‘Somewhere on Earth’ while the ‘MFW’s’ walked away with two trophies for Most Entertaining Band and Most Outrageous Rock Move for their unique version of Bryan Adams’ ‘Summer of ’69’.

‘Guns ’n’ Posers’, who sang ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’, were awarded the title of Best Band Image.