A keen horserider who struggled to cope with the death of a close friend and a range of other adversities during her A-levels has achieved the top grades she needs to get to university.

Ripon Grammar School student Amelia Moody, from Aldfield, outside the city, today picked up the three B grades she needs to study sports and exercise science at Newcastle University.

Sadly, in the run-up to her exams, her boyfriend’s best friend George Sawyer was killed in a car accident: “It was difficult to process someone my age being taken away so young and so suddenly, especially as we were with him earlier that day.

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"I felt like I couldn’t be in every place at once, although I tried, and had to support my partner Jared as best I could whilst juggling my revision,” she said.

In addition, Amelia’s father Nick underwent a seven-hour open heart surgery operation in mid-May: “I had to juggle revising with driving to Leeds to see him and had to do my first couple exams with him in hospital. 

"I found that quite difficult as he wasn't at home waiting for me to get back afterwards,” she said.

After an initial wobble, Amelia's dad is now making a good recovery. 

She said: “After being discharged, he was re-admitted due to abnormal blood pressure so that was quite scary but he's doing much better now.”

Celebrating her results at a family lunch, proud father Nick added: "I'm delighted Amelia has got into Newcastle University against all the odds with all the challenges she's faced."

Amelia also had to contend with missing more than six weeks of school following hospitalization with glandular fever and tonsilitis, and suffered further tragedy when her aunt died following a dementia-related illness.

The teenager said staff at RGS had been a huge comfort to her.

“Mrs Nelson, deputy head of sixth form, was my main sounding board. When she wasn’t telling me off for having too many earrings in she was always on hand giving me great advice.

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“And our head of sixth form, Mr Fell, is like a second dad to us all and no problem is too small nor too big for him to give us a hand. It was really helpful knowing he was always there if we needed him during our exams.”

Keen horse rider Amelia, who studied sport, psychology and chemistry also competes all over the UK in eventing, show jumping and dressage, representing her British Eventing, Pony Club and school teams.

The hardworking teenager, who waitressed at Grantley Hall part-time and worked in a stable yard, also juggled playing hockey for her local and school teams with her A-level studies.