It was supposed to be their big day, but they had the wind well and truly taken out of their sails.

The group of expectant art students who arrived at Preston Park, Brighton, yesterday had spent six weeks fine-tuning their individually-designed kites to fly as part of their final exams.

As they limbered up to launch their masterpieces into the stratosphere, they silently willed them to fly.

At stake were what could prove to be vital extra marks towards the students' GNVQ in art and design.

Unfortunately the weather decided to deal them something of a blow.

Or not a blow, as it turned out, because as the 13 City College students hurled their kites into the air, the wind failed to make an appearance, leaving the kites going nowhere fast.

But the students refused to give up and passers-by watched as they stubbornly leaped about, trying to catch that all-important gust.

At last the weather smiled on them, the wind picked up and the students' creations were lifted into the sky to the sound of cheers.

Student Rebecca Lewis, 17, said: "It was the first time we had tried to fly our kites. When we got to the park we got our stuff together and had a lesson on how to get them in the air.

"It wasn't very windy and we had a few problems getting them to fly. We had to wait for a gust. But we eventually got them up."

The 16 to 18-year-olds are studying design at City College Brighton and Hove.

Teacher Emma Harrington said: "The theme for their exam work is vision and they have been working on producing individual pieces of work under that theme, one of which is to produce a kite.

"Part of yesterday's assessment was to see if they worked and it was also a bit of an end-of-term celebration for the students.

"It was certainly a struggle to actually get them in the air.

"We had a few accidents when we lined up to get them airborne at the same time and ran into each other. That was funny."

The colourful kites were created using techniques including sewing, printing, applique and drawing.

They will be displayed at a visual and performing arts end-of-year exhibition at City College's art department from Saturday, June 21 to Thursday, June 26, from 10am to 4pm.