TEENAGERS who studied at the troubled Whitehall Performing Arts College have wasted a year of their lives after the college kept their BTEC work.

More than 30 youngsters who last year left the stage school, based at Eastwood School, have had to start their courses again or repeat work.

Whitehall College is still open, but has been in a legal battle with Eastwood School and many of the students have since left.

Katie Robinson, 19, moved down from Scotland to study at Whitehall after winning a scholarship, but soon began to feel uncomfortable there. She said: "There were teachers not turning up, we didn't have set classes sometimes and only one or two seemed to be supporting us."

Miss Robinson, who lives in Southend, left the college in June and moved to Tiffany Theatre College, where she is retaking the first year of her BTEC national certificate in performing arts and musical theatre. That is because she has no proof of the work she had already done.

She said: "We expected nothing more from Whitehall.

"It's annoying having to do all that work again after everything that's happened.

"We had some personal work and notes, but all the assignments they took in and marked we didn't get back."

Danielle Hewlett, 18, who lives in South Woodham Ferrers, is retaking the same course. She said: "The second years, who are now third years, have been trying to claim BTECs and get some of our work back as well.

"They just said you can't have it."

Students say the main problem has been with practical work, which largely consisted of shows recorded on DVD.

Some of the students have been in touch with examining body EdExcel to discuss the problem.

However, many of the students have now been taken on at Tiffany Theatre College, in Eastwood, where they have settled in and are working hard towards their qualifications.

Clare Smith, BTEC co-ordinator at Tiffany's, said they had done their best to incorporate the work students had already done.

She said: "It's such a pleasure to have them all and they've settled in well. It's been one happy family. It's worked out well."

Whitehall College declined to comment on the matter because of ongoing legal issues.