Exhausted and bedraggled...Cambridge students struggle home from raucous May Ball bashes

But youthful vigour still managed to come to the fore as many carried on partying as the rest of the city got up for work

The bashes at three colleges - Trinity, Jesus and Clare - moved outside as the sun came up and continued almost until rush hour.

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Some of the revellers looked decidedly tired and emotional after hours of drinking, dancing and chatting.

One belle in a blue dress went sprawling as she emerged in the early morning sunlight before clinging for dear life onto her companion's arm.

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An onlooker said: "A blonde girl in a diaphanous blue dress was looking a bit worse for wear when she suddenly pitched forward.

"She only just managed to catch herself before falling flat on her face. She then grabbed hold of her feller's arm to steady herself.

"It had obviously been a long night but it was generally quite restrained. Everyone was laughing and talking as music from a nearby disco floated over the river."

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The revellers began drifting home at around 7am, swigging from bottles of champagne and puffing on cigars.

Many of the women removed their stilettos to give their tired feet a rest - even if it meant walking barefoot on cold flagstones and cobbled courtyards.

The students were probably on their best behaviour after high jinks at recent May Balls attracted the attention of college authorities.

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Three years ago 23-year-old Zoe Fry jumped into the Cam after drinking several of glasses of champagne, only to emerge half-naked.

She explained afterwards: "I saw my friends on the other side and, as the crow flies - or as the duck swims - swimming seemed the quickest way to reach them at the time. You're only young once."

Clare College Bridge, built from 1639-1640, was Cambridge's first classical bridge and is one of the most famous.

It is decorated with fourteen stone balls, one of which has a wedge missing.

This is commonly explained as being the builder's revenge for not being paid in full for the job.

However, it is more likely that a section later cemented into the ball as part of a repair job worked loose and fell into the river below.