THREE students have made history for a Blackburn college by getting first-class honours degrees.

The St Mary's College students have been following classes accredited by Liverpool's Hope University at the Shear Brow campus.

The college has been affiliated to the university and offering university courses for three years, giving people in Blackburn chance to study a full-time degree with evening lectures, but it is the first time it has produced students who top the class.

Taslim Umarji, 21, of Shear Brow, Blackburn, graduated with a first-class BSc combined honours in Psychology and Health, as did Sobia Hussain, 23, of Tenby Close.

Sobia is now off to Preston to continue her study with a Masters and then plans for a Phd. She said: "To be able to work as a special support assistant during the day and study by night has been great. I'm proud of the fact I have not needed any loans."

Taslim said: "It was great to study close to my family as well as getting a great degree! We'll have to see what the future holds."

Jonathon Dryland, 35, of Fulwood, also chose to study in Blackburn to become a teacher. He has graduated with a first-class honours degree in Psychology and Information Technology. He said: "I looked at my options and it was perfect with the responsibilities of a family, to study full-time but with two lectures a week. For someone who didn't enjoy school, I enjoyed learning as an adult."

Other graduates from the college were Sarah Ruggieri, BA combined honours in Information Technology and Business, with an upper second-class degree; Thomas Nelson, BSc Combined Honours in Psychology and Health, lower second-class degree; and Valerie Dewhurst, BA combined Honours in English and Information Technology with a third-class honours degree.