THE principal of Accrington and Rossendale College has pledged there will be no early increases in the college's tuition fees - in a bid to encourage people into higher education.

She was speaking at the college's awards presentation evening at Accrington Town Hall last night.

Nancy Cookson said: "We are passionate about encouraging young and not so young people from all sections of our local communities to see higher education as a real possibility, especially in households where there is no family history of degree level study.

"To support this commitment we are not considering any early increases in our own tuition fees.

"We do not need the Office for Fair Access, the new regulator, to encourage us to recruit students from 'non-traditional' backgrounds. We are doing this all the time."

She also announced that the college would be launching a set of full-time programmes for 16 to 18 year olds in the next few weeks that will enable young people leaving school to continue to study a combination of academic and vocational subjects equivalent to three or four A-Levels. The principal said: "This will be a unique offer in the area and we hope it will motivate many young people to consider progressing through further education into higher education."

Dr Peter Marsh, vice-principal of Bolton Institute, was guest speaker.

The students dressed in the cap and gown of the university which validated their award.

Student of the Year was Martin Bolland, from Burnley.

He was unable to attend but his tutor, John Wilmott, accepted his award.