IDENTICAL twins Dominic and Jamie Butler don't just look alike, they think alike.

The St. Ambrose College A-level students, who were the Hale Barns' Catholic grammar school's first ever joint head boys, were both seeing stars after downloading their results, with barely a whisker between them

The Bowdon boys were leading the way with Jamie getting four A*s in maths, further maths, chemistry and physics an A in biology and a merit in the maths extension paper, while brother Thomas got three A* in maths, further maths and biology with A grades in chemistry and physics and a merit in the maths extension, just one A* to A grade behind.

Dominic was quick to deny any gloating: “We both did well and whoever wins is no consequence,” he said.

“We compete against the rest of the world but never against each other. We are both delighted and very proud of each other’s achievements and have always benefited from working together with each other.”

Jamie said: “We would like to give a massive thank you to all our teachers without whom we would not have achieved these results, especially to our retired headmaster, Mr Michael Thompson, who led the college for many years and Mr Michael Loughrey, who was at the preparatory school, and who both gave us so much advice and help.”

The boys are going to prove inseparable now as both want to study medicine and both want to go to Ireland to do it, currently choosing between Queen's Belfast and the University College of Ireland in Galway.

Both were first team rugby players and both set up St. Ambrose's hugely successful interfaith conference attracting speakers from across the area to address sixth form students.

Overall St Ambrose College A-level pupils achieved an outstanding set of A-level results.

Nearly 69 per cent of all grades were at A* to B, with a 100 per cent pass rate.

Current St. Ambrose College principal. James Keulemans. said: “Jamie and Dominic have made an amazing contribution to school life and are hard working, naturally talented and immensely likeable and conscientious young men. We know they will become fine doctors.”