UP until this morning, Trafford College student Leanne Hobbs wasn't going to be competing for her place at university.

She had decided to spend the next year helping the disadvantaged people of Africa, where she will take her place as a charity volunteer with the global volunteering scheme, Platform 2.

But the 18 year old A-Level student from Sale opened her envelope to reveal three straight-A passes along with the offer of a scholarship.

The dedicated teenager has now decided to gain some experience in her chosen profession of Midwifery before travelling to Africa, where she hopes to take her place in a hospital.

Leanne explains: “Despite my decision to put my year out in Africa on hold, I’ve always wanted to help disadvantaged people and that is still what I am working towards as part of my degree.

"I initially thought that I would like to volunteer, but I now realise it would be much better to take a skill to Africa and share my knowledge with the people there.

“By working in a hospital as a midwife, I can support them to address the serous issues of the high child mortality rates in Africa. Thousands of women die during childbirth every minute around world, and in Africa where there is a 1 in 16th chance of a woman dying during childbirth; I believe that helping to educate the nurses and carers in hospitals would make a real difference.”

Leanne has already registered her interest with the global volunteering scheme, Platform 2 and hopes to join an African hospital as part of her University degree.