ALL the fun of the fair was laid on for students finishing their studies in Southampton.

Fairground rides greeted revellers at Southampton University Students Union graduate ball on Monday night at Oceana, Southampton’s biggest night club.

Students, who paid £50 per head for tickets, said farewell to the undergraduate days with an eight-hour marathon of entertainment which included dodgem rides, buckets of champagne and dancing into the small hours to a lengthy line up live acts.

The event had a theme of Music through the Ages and featured live performances from Robbie Williams, Lady Gaga, Pink and Abba tribute acts but there were plenty of genuine chart toppers too including reformed Irish girl band B*Witched, Sweden’s Basshunter and S Club 3 (three-sevenths of S Club 7).

The union is believed to have spent £78,000 on music acts plus a further £6,000 on decor.