Shereen and Sara Mala, above, students at Westholme School, Blackburn enjoyed a double celebration after gaining 8 A levels between them.

Shereen gained four A grades and is now planning to go to Nottingham University to study medicine.

Sara is off to Cardiff where she will study dentistry after gaining an A and three Bs.

Lillian Croston, Principal of Westholme School said: "Both girls have much to be proud of in gaining places on such competitive courses.

"They have both always worked very hard and deserve this success. "Shereen and Sara have been heavily involved in school life including being joint swimming captains. We at Westholme know they will be successful in their chosen careers."

Shereen also recently returned after successfully swimming the English Channel with the school team. The swim took the team of six more than 12 hours to complete.

She told us, "We all took turns to swim different stretches. Although I had second thoughts when I first got into the water that soon passed as I didn't want to let the team down."

"We began at 1.30am and finished at 2pm the next day."

The swim aimed to raise money for a new sports complex for the school.