HALF-a-million students will sit replacement exams this summer after a van carrying copies of the original papers was stolen.

An unknown quantity of GCSE English and English Literature papers were taken from a Parcelforce delivery van in the West Midlands which was due to transport them to test centres across the country.

The exams were being issued by the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) - the largest of the unitary bodies in the UK with almost 60 per cent of the national GCSE entries.

AQA have promised papers will be replaced at least two or three days before they are due to be taken, on Wednesday, May 21, Thursday, June 5 and Monday, June 9. They would normally arrive weeks in advance.

The cost of re-writing and delivering the papers is thought to be around £250,000.

Sean Devlin, principal of Blessed Edward Oldcorne RC High School, in Timberdine Avenue, Worcester, was confident there would be no disruption to students.

"Although this is certainly unusual, I have every confidence AQA will be deliver the papers as promised," he said. "It should not affect the students. As far as they are concerned, they will simply arrive and sit an exam paper as planned."

The van was stolen on Thursday, May 1 in Brierley Hill, West Midlands, while the driver was delivering other items in the High Street.

It was found days later in the car park of a derelict Dudley pub, but details of the incident only emerged yesterday.

Kathleen Tattersall, chief executive of AQA, insisted the examining body had acted quickly and firmly to resolve the problem.

"There is no room for compromise when the integrity of our examinations is threatened," she said. "We have taken decisive and prompt action to replace the suspect papers, and to inform schools of the action we are taking.

The theft is now being investigated by West Midlands police, while Parcelforce, who have apologised for the incident, are conducting an internal inquiry.

"Parcelforce sincerely regrets the inconvenience the theft of these exam papers has caused and we are working with the police investigating this crime," said a spokesman.