A TEENAGER who overcame great adversity to win a place at university was one of thousands of North-East students celebrating their A-level results yesterday.

Helen Foster, 18, had to learn to read, write and walk at the age of 12 when she suffered brain damage after falling into a coma.

She was diagnosed with diabetes but had lost so much of her memory she had to go back to the basics she had learned in primary school.

Helen, from Wolsingham, County Durham, was one of the first people in the North-East to be fitted with an insulin pump to treat her condition.

Yesterday, she picked up her A-level results in double ICT and English language from Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, in Darlington, and said: "I am very proud because no one ever thought I would come this far. I am really looking forward to university."

Next month, she will begin studying computing at Sunderland University and hopes to become a computer programmer.

Helen's story was one of dozens to emerge yesterday. They included:

* Triplets Katie, Alison and Helen Prescott, 18, from Durham, achieved ten As at A-level between them to win places at medical school.

* Fatima Malik, 18, from Darlington, has vowed not to give up her ambition to become a doctor, after being rejected by four medical schools despite gaining top results.

* Ed Targett, 18, of Crook, County Durham, gained three A grades and has been selected to train as a Navy pilot.

* Nicola Smith, 18, from Billingham, near Stockton achieved five grade As and one of the top marks in the country in biology. She will now study medicine at Cambridge University.

* Daniel Fletcher, 18, from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, who won a place at university despite having cystic fibrosis.

The results of more than 1,500 students in Darlington are predicted to help the town top the national table for A-level performance.

The town came second last year for the percentage of students achieving at least two A to E grades in their exams, considered the benchmark to get into university.

Last night, a spokesman for Darlington Borough Council predicted the town would be number one this year, largely thanks to a nine per cent rise in the pass rate at Carmel RC Technology College.

North Yorkshire County Council said schools had reported the best set of results.

Cynthia Welbourn, county council's director of education, said: "There have been many happy scenes at schools and colleges right across North Yorkshire."

Durham County Council said it looked as if the overall pass rate for A-level students was again above the national average.

A spokesman said that based on known results, the pass rate was 98 per cent.

However, the authority said the most important statistic was the 91 per cent of all students who obtained at least two A to E grade passes.

Nationally, the A-level pass rate rose to 96.2 per cent, the 23rd consecutive year the figure has increased.

The numbers of students achieving A grades also increased, rising to 22.8 per cent.

Schools Minister Andrew Adonis congratulated candidates on their results and put the improvements in grades down to hard work and rising standards of teaching.

Meanwhile, universities were being contacted by thousands of students keen to gain the remaining places on degree courses through the clearing process.

Durham University said it had received more than 2,500 calls for 150 clearing places.

A spokesman for Newcastle University said: "The first call to our clearing hotline came in at 7.40am and between 50 and 60 staff have been dealing with a continuous stream of inquiries from hopeful students.

"By 4pm, only a handful of places were left in one or two subject areas, including science, engineering and music."

Teesside University received 1,250 calls and recorded almost 1,000 hits on its clearing website from 8.30am to 4pm.

Results round-up - Page