A MUf-eight will this week celebrate completing her nursing degree -- 35 years after she first began her training.

Margaret Cronin will finally achieve her life-long ambition to become a mental health nurse when she qualifies on September 17, her 52nd birthday.

She said: "It's taken me a long time to get here, but I've finally done what I've been meaning to do for most of my life!"

Margaret, of New Road, Lostock Hall, first dreamed of becoming a nurse as a schoolgirl, and after completing her A-Levels at Winckley Square Convent School, went to Pendlebury Hospital in Manchester to begin her course.

But Margaret, mum of Citizen reporter Kate, said strict rules and split shifts took their toll. "I still loved nursing," she said. "But we weren't treated very well at all as trainees. I was only 18 and couldn't really cope with it.

"I left after a few months and went to work with geriatric patients at Mount Street hospital in Preston and that's really when I knew that I wanted to get into mental health nursing."

Margaret then decided to embark on a career in teaching and worked for a short spell at Blessed Sacrament RC Primary School before taking a career break at 25 to marry husband Michael, a local government officer, and become a full-time mum.

"I wasn't really expecting to have eight children but I'd always wanted a big family," she said. "My career break actually lasted more than twenty years!"

After her youngest child, Elizabeth, now seven, went to school, Margaret had a conversation with another daughter Helen, 22, which prompted her to re-train.

"Helen was already doing a nursing degree and I told her I'd always wanted to be a nurse so she just told me to go for it.

"I thought 'why not?' Even though I was nearly 50 I knew I would have some time on my hands with Elizabeth at school.

"I enrolled straight away at the University of Central Lancashire, my age didn't seem to be a problem at all."

In fact, encouraged by Margaret's change of career, her sister Helen Whelan, from Fulwood, also decided to become a nurse and will graduate aged 51 next year.

Margaret said: "It's been fairly difficult trying to study and make ends meet with eight children around but I've managed, and I would encourage anyone in my position to follow their dreams. You're never too old to achieve your ambitions."

Husband Michael, 51, said: "We're all very proud of Margaret and know she'll make a fantastic nurse."