COMMUNICATIONS officer Craig Rowbotham has enjoyed success despite a health setback.

The 22-year-old planning and communications officer with Darlington Primary Care Trust has gained a BSc honours degree, overcoming shoulder surgery that threatened his studies.

His tutors at the University of Derby's business school recommended he take a year off when he badly dislocated his shoulder in a martial arts competition.

But Craig, from Hartlepool, completed his studies with the help of a note-taker.

At Darlington Primary Care Trust he is responsible for internal communications and developing an action plan to improve performance.