Mum lands top ocean award

9:33am Wednesday 13th August 2008

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A MOTHER-OF-THREE has scooped top honours after applying for a university course on a whim.

Rose Carter, of Grange-over-Sands, became interested in a Geological Oceanography course while on an open day at Bangor University with her 23-year-old daughter Joanna.

The 52-year-old quit her job at Windermere Tourist Information Centre where she had worked for seven years to take the full time three-year course.

And now she has been awarded the prestigious Dr John Roberts Jones Open Award for outstanding academic achievement and was handed £800.

Mrs Carter also received £60 from the Darbyshire Prize awarded to the best degree student studying in the School of Ocean Sciences.

Said Mrs Carter: “I didn’t want to cramp my daughter’s style and I wanted to wait for my son to grow a bit older before I did the course.

“I wasn’t expecting those at all. It was an amazing day,” said Mrs Carter. “I’ve had a wonderful three years. I’m very sad to be leaving.”

Mrs Carter, who said she has salt water in her blood as both her grandfathers were sea captains, now plans to take a break from studying to spend time with her family and visit her daughter, who now lives in New Zealand.

She added: “None of this would have been possible without the help and support of my family. I couldn’t have done it without them.”