STUDENTS who misbehaved at a formal ball will do community service, it is reported.

The punishment comes after members of the football and rugby teams at Durham University’s Trevelyan College apparently threw food at each other at an annual sportsman’s ball.

Student newspaper Palatinate reported the teams would be banned from the College Festival of Sport later this term and the men’s football first and second teams were told they would be relegated, although that threat has since been withdrawn.

Trevelyan College Principal Professor Martyn Evans is quoted as saying: “Each club has been given 200 hours community service to be distributed among the members at the discretion and judgement of the clubs’ captains.

“The penalties were agreed mutually by the college and the university’s head of sport and reflect problems with off-the-field conduct.

“The college seeks a sustained change in the culture of conduct and is working with the respective club and team captains to achieve this.”

Prof Evans added the relegations had been suspended following “very constructive discussions with the club and team captains who argued that this would better enable them to bring about a lasting change in the culture of conduct”.

Some students have complained the punishment is too harsh, as only a small number of people were involved and even those left the ball without complaint when asked to do so by catering staff.

Each club has also been instructed to write a new constitution.

The Durham University summer exam period begins tomorrow (Monday, May 11) and runs until Friday, May 29.