KEY POINTS:
Girls from a top Auckland school face a bill of several thousands of dollars after they went on an eggs-and-flour rampage, damaging nearby residents' cars.
The Year 13 Westlake Girls High School students were celebrating coming to the end of term - but their high spirits have landed them in hot water.
The school has already been billed almost $3500 and that is likely to rise.
The girls had planned to egg cars belonging to their counterparts at Westlake Boys High School - an end-of-year tradition, which often results in a good-natured apology and a few hours' cleaning the vehicles.
But this year the stunt got out of hand when the teenagers accidentally targeted cars belonging to residents of nearby Currey Cres.
One of the victims told the Herald yesterday that he had sent a bill for $1200 because scratches to the passenger and rear doors of his Honda needed to be fixed.
Sun-il Jun said it might cost even more because he had not been able to get his car clean despite several washes.
"Have you ever tried to wash sun-baked egg stains off a car?" said the 17-year-old, who is looking after the car for his older brother.
"It's difficult to clean and it also smells bad."
The teenager's car was one of about 25 smeared in eggs, flour, party streamers and tissues. Another car was left with $2280 worth of damage when the girls pulled the prank to celebrate the end of their school days before the exams.
Jeff Jee's black Ford Mondeo and his wife's car were among those coated in egg and party streamers.
"All the cars along the street were done. I've lived here two years and never seen anything like it."
After the girls struck on the Friday before last, Mr Jee and his wife were late for work as they struggled to make their vehicles presentable.
He said several girls arrived the same afternoon to apologise and clean the cars.
The following Monday, more girls arrived, led by a teacher, to do some more cleaning.
Mr Jee said his Mondeo was still smeared in grime and if it needed a professional clean he would bill the school.
"They offered to pay if it needed doing, but I've not taken them up on it yet."
Another resident said he had taken pictures of every car and passed them on to police and the school.
Westlake Girls principal Alison Gernhoefer said yesterday that she was hoping the students and their parents would accept responsibility and pay for any damage.
But the school would cover the cost if necessary.
About 25 of the school's 300 Year 13 girls were involved.
Ms Gernhoefer said police had visited the school, but she hoped to sort everything out without any criminal charges.
End-of-year pranks were "not uncommon [between the boys and girls schools] but we've never had anything on this scale," the principal said.
Another resident, who did not want to be named, said the street should be residents- only parking as it became jammed by students' cars, and occasional pranks were played.
"There's been nothing like the mess last week, but condoms appear on car aerials from time to time."
