WHILE some students may grumble about a lack of beer money or too much course work, one Nelson student had altogether more serious issues to worry about.

Single mother-of-three Marilyn Sutcliffe had to overcome personal tragedy to complete her degree - 12 years after first starting the course.

Marilyn, a 57 year old wife and mother from Lancaster Gate, Nelson, began studying her degree in psychology at the Open University in 1992 but was forced to give up when her eldest son Daniel, who had been a drug addict, died at the age of 25 in 1996.

She said:"He died as I was due to take my fourth exam. I had no transport, no money and not a lot of confidence. That's when I gave up the degree for a long time."

Although Marilyn loved her studying she decided she wanted to devote more time to her family.

She said: "I just couldn't cope at the time. I had to sort out the family because I had three other children. I gave up the degree and I threw myself into my painting instead.

"I tried to pull something together that way but it didn't come off and I realised that to earn a living I would need to have a degree.

"After a gap of about six or seven years I took up studying again. The Open University were absolutely fine about it.

"I picked up where I left off and although I was concerned that I might have difficulty after such a long time, I had no problems."

Marilyn completed her degree in October and received her certificate in December 2003 but will not be able to attend the ceremony tomorrow at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.

She has two grown-up daughters who live in Burnley, Amy, 32, and Catherine, 35, who has two children. She also has a son, Dougy, 22, a program analyst who lives with her.

She said: "I've got the family things out of the way now. I tied myself to the family and it has been very tough but now I've had a taste of something new. I feel 37 rather than 57!"

Marilyn has applied to study for an MSc in pschological research and is receiving a grant from The Crowther Fund but she is still short of the final £165. And yet she has evey faith that the Open University will find it for her.

She said: "They're an excellant institution and if they can get it for me they will.

"They've been working round the clock trying to sort it out.

"I'd recommend OU to anyone who has enough motivation to discipline themselves to study this way."