Exam papers found at landfill site

Exam papers are always posted in sealed envelopes

Students' unmarked AS and A-level scripts have been found on a rubbish dump in Essex.

Someone found the design and technology papers in an official envelope and handed them to the Sun newspaper.

People who find lost papers normally ring us

Edexcel spokeswoman

The exam board responsible for marking the scripts - Edexcel - said it had been trying to track them down since the summer.

In the meantime, the 17 pupils affected by the loss have been given estimated grades.

The Sun passed on the papers to the exam board on Monday.

Wrong examiner

A spokeswoman for Edexcel said the incident happened after four schools sent the papers to the wrong examiner.

"What is not clear is whether the examiner failed to post them to us or whether the courier failed to deliver them," said the spokeswoman.

The envelope was clearly marked with Edexcel's address, she said.

"People who find lost papers normally ring us, but that did not happen in this case."

A senior examiner was reviewing all the scripts, the spokeswoman said.

But it was unlikely that students' grades would change dramatically, she added, as the papers concerned accounted for just one unit out of a total of six.

"The main thing is that the students themselves are not disadvantaged, and they won't be."