STUDENTS from three schools turned heads during a musical-themed hair and beauty competition.

During the annual event, youngsters from The Arnewood School in New Milton, Priestlands School in Lymington and Highcliffe School in Dorset featuring an array of colourful and striking arrangements in front of a 300-strong audience.

As well as creating a platform to showcase the talents the event, hosted by The Arnewood School, marked a formal examination assessment and raised £1,000 for charity.

The Arnewood School’s Dr Mike Horswell said: “Our annual hair and beauty competition is one of the highlights of the school calendar.

“It’s something we and other local schools look forward to as an enjoyable way to mark the achievement of these really talented students.”

He added: “This year’s standard was again extremely high and testimony to the students’ hard work and training they have received from staff at Arnewood and in placement salons.”

In total 83 students took part in the show recruiting friends, siblings, parents and boyfriends to model their designs.

Each year the student competitors nominate youth-focused charities to benefit from the funds raised by the show.

This year the lucky beneficiaries were Southampton Hospital Teenage Cancer Trust and Wessex Heartbeat.

Taking their inspiration from musicals, hairstyles included a sweet shop from Charlie and the Chocolate factory, a guitar from ‘We Will Rock You’ and numerous animals from Cats and The Lion King.

At the end of the show awards were given for the most inventive and technically-challenging styles.

First prize winners in each category were: Year 10 - Megan Munnik; Year 11 - Mahallah Drodge; Year 12 - Chloe Jade Turner; Year 13 - Sophie Simpson; Year 14 - Cleo Brown.

The Arnewood School’s hair and beauty courses are for students aged 14-19 and are taught as subject options within the GCSE and post 16 curriculums as well as attended by students pursuing a career in hairdressing and beauty therapy.