TWELVE students from the University of York will receive hundreds of pounds in compensation after their exam papers were lost.

A batch of 12 English exam papers had been sent from the university to an examiner but never arrived, leaving the university, the examining body and Royal Mail to spend two weeks trying to track down the exams.

However, in an email to affected students, chair of the Board of Examiners Dr Victoria Coulson said: "Over the past two weeks we have done everything we could, in the hope that we would not have to send you this message, but it has now become clear that we have to accept that the scripts are lost."

The students will now have to submit an extra essay, between 2,000 and 2,500 words, to complete the assessment.

Dr Coulson's email said: "On behalf of the department, I want to offer you my apology for inconveniencing you in this way."

On Friday, the university confirmed a meeting had been held to discuss compensation for the affected students.

A university spokesman said: "Following the meeting, the Pro Vice Chancellor for Teaching & Learning Professor John Robinson has written to the students affected offering a full and unreserved apology on behalf of the University.

"In recognition of the extra work they will have to undertake (in the form of a 2,000-2,500 word essay), he has also made an offer of £500 compensation for each student. He has also instituted a thorough review of our procedures in relation to the secure handling of exam scripts, in order to ensure that this never happens again."