IT WAS a night they would remember for the rest of their lives.

Around 200 former pupils from Chamberlayne Park School arrived at Saints St Mary's Stadium for their leaving prom last night - and made sure it was an evening they would never forget.

Night at the proms with...

Aldermann Quilley School, Applemore College, Barton Peveril College, Baycroft Special School, Bellemoor School and Regents Park Girls' School, Bitterne Park School, Bridgemary Community School, Brookfield School, Brune Park, Chamberlayne Park, Crestwood College, Crofton School, Greggs School, Hamble Community College, Hardley School, Henry Cort Community College, Hounsdown School, Kings' School, Millbrook Community School, Mountbatten School, Noadswood School, Oak Lodge Special School, Oaklands School, Perins School, Peter Symonds College, Priestlands School, Redbridge Community School, Ringwood School, Romsey School, Swanmore College, Testwood School, Thornden School, Toynbee School, Westgate School, Weston Park and Sholing Tech, Wildern School, Woodlands Community School, Wykeham House

A 44 page proms specil with the Echo on July19th

Parents, cousins, grandparents and younger brothers and sisters crowded outside the stadium entrance as a parade of glamorous vehicles brought their equally smart passengers to a halt.

Star guest at the glittering event was 16-year-old cancer sufferer Matt Arding.

Matt is currently undergoing treatment for a tumour which has so far cost him his sight.

Just three months ago Matt's plight touched Saints manager Harry Redknapp who made him Saints match-day mascot at a Premiership game at Blackburn just days before he underwent surgery on the tumour.

The leaving do had been scheduled to take place during a break from the latest round of his gruelling chemotherapy treatment.

Last night, Matt decided to arrive in his own style by riding with friends on a "Dotto Train" to the ball.

He said: "I just wanted to arrive in something different. My treatment was a bit sickly but it went all right."

Not to be outdone by Matt's unusual method of arriving, Nathan Pedersen, from Albert Road, Southampton arrived on a "chopper" style pushbike - with the whole of his dad's motorcycle club "The End" providing a colourful and noisy escort.

Proud dad Mark, 43, said: "The whole of the club turned out in aid of my son's prom do."

Celia Axton, the Year 11 form head who organised the event said: "We arranged the ball for this week because of Matthew. It fitted in with his treatment pattern."

Matthew Arding and Joanne Marlow at last night's Chamberlayne Park school Prom. ABOVE: The Daily Echo from April.