A 25-year-old has been left overjoyed after achieving top marks in her GCSE results – having dropped out of school aged 14.

Bethany Cousins, from Ipswich, left school at 14 after experiencing personal troubles, but has not let her past stop her path towards success after an incredible year at Suffolk New College.

While at the college, Miss Cousins won a writing competition judged by former EADT and Ipswich Star editor Terry Hunt and now has more strings to her bow with her Grade 9 in English and Grade 5 in maths.

She said: “I’m really happy as this is the first time I’ve ever had a qualification.

“It’s been a good year educationally. First I was the winner of the college writing competition and now this.

“I’d say to others like me who have been out of education for a while that it’s never too late to get a qualification.

“It might be hard if you work full-time, but it’s doable and it gives you a feeling of self-belief knowing that you can achieve more than what you are doing right now.”