GARY Majnusz will swap his butcher's apron for an academic gown when he graduates from the University of Teesside with a degree in consumer law.

The move from butchery to books came during the BSE crisis.

The 41-year-old, who left school at 16 to train as a butcher, worked his way into management but was quick to realise that by the time the industry was to recover from BSE crisis he could retrain for another profession.

Trading standards for a natural progression for Houghton le Spring resident.

As a butchery manager he was quite conversant with legal issues, health and safety procedures and trading legislation.

So some 20 years on it was back to the classroom for Gary to take A levels in maths and physics

He said: "After my A levels I got a class one pass in the extended science foundation year and then finally got on the degree course.

"The studying and academic level move up several gears on the degree course.

"I was grateful that I'd maintained a working relationship with a local butcher Steward Hodgkiss.

"It meant that I still had an income during the holidays and was able to test out and explore issues such as weights and measures."