Twins Tara and Simone Narup say healthy competition helped to drive them to double success.

Simone achieved A*s in English literature and politics and As in economics and history, while Tara attained an A* in economics, As in accounting, geography and financial studies, and a B in English literature after learning at the Colchester Sixth Form College.

Now the 18-year-olds, from Lexden, are going their separate ways for the first time in a change from “doing everything together”.

While Simone is off to Warwick University to study history, Tara is doing accounting a Birmingham University after winning one of only 50 KPMG scholarships.

The prestigious award sees her course fees and accommodation funded alongside a salary through five years of study, at the end of which she will have a degree, be chartered, and have a job.

Both sisters said they were delighted when they found out their results, as well as a huge relief that the wait was finally over.

“We both got up at 4am and didn’t really sleep –we have to worry about each other,” said Simone.

“It’s good competition between us, it helps drive us both on.”

“We want each other to do well, there’s no sabotage,” added Tara.

The pair admit it will be “completely odd” going to different universities, but add that doing different fields of study stopped them being entirely alike.

Tara said: “Accounting was the only thing I liked revising, I do enjoy it. It’s maths but not too ‘mathsy’.”

Simone prefers studying modern history due to its close links with politics, a keen interest for the student who likes to keep up-to-date with current affairs.

See how the rest of north Essex and Suffolk got on with their A-level results here.