Hundreds of students covererd themselves with shaving foam today as part of a 600-year-old ritual at one of Britain's oldest universities.

The foam fight at St Andrews University is part of the institution's annual Raisin Weekend, where new students are welcomed by their senior peers.

It involves older student 'parents' inflicting tasks on unfortunate freshers that they have adopted as 'children' as part of a mentoring scheme.

The often alcohol-fuelled rite of passage has been known for its often rowdy behaviour in the past, prompting complaints from some local residents.

But the traditional weekend at the came to an end today with an hour-long foam fight at the normally tranquil St Salvator's Quad in St Andrews, Fife.

The name Raisin Weekend stems from the tradition of new students giving a pound of raisins to their academic parents to say thank you for welcoming them to the university.