WOULD-BE firefighter Janet Deane is hoping her success in the classroom will ignite an enthusiasm for learning in others.

Single mum-of-five Janet, 29, returned to the classroom three years ago because she needed qualifications in maths and English if she was to fulfil her dream of joining the fire service.

She was so determined not to miss a vital class - run by tutors from Oldham Lifelong Learning - that she went into labour while in the classroom and returned to lessons just four weeks after giving birth.

As part of Adult Learners Week, she has been recognised by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education as an inspiration to others.

She has already achieved a GCSE in English and is working towards her maths GCSE before taking the fire service exams, which will be her passport to her chosen career.

Dream job

Janet said: "I am going to be a firefighter as that is my dream job. I couldn't have done it without my maths and English tutors. They have helped me so much."

Her tutor Beverley Bull said: "Two and a half years ago Janet was still attending classes despite being nine months pregnant and we were all rather surprised when she went into labour during her maths class.

"We were even more surprised when she returned just four weeks later. Janet is truly inspirational and has proved that with a lot of hard work and determination, dreams can come true."

Also receiving an individual award from NIACE is Tracey Nsongo, 28, from Manchester, who started to improve her basic skills after attending sessions at her children's primary school, through the Parent Education Service - while dealing with her own dyslexia, an attack on her husband and her son's unhappiness at school.

She said: "I am more confident and I am proud of my achievements, especially reading a whole book on my own. I'm starting to help my kids and we learn together."

YOU are unlikely to see anything like this at the seaside.

Andrew Baynes specialises in creating intricate and stunning designs completely from sand.

Over the weekend, he shaped horses from six tonnes of sand delivered to the Triangle in Manchester and they will remain on display until tomorrow.

Andrew works in the full gaze of the audience and has had exhibitions at galleries across the country.

He said: "I have done a dinosaur for Disney and have worked on Blue Peter and have done a car for an insurance company. But mostly I do animals and I love doing horses, they seem to have the most impact.

"I started, doing what everyone does, by making sandcastles on the beach and it just went from there. I just got more ambitious and turned professional in 1993."

He said his sculptures can last for around five weeks and need to be sprayed daily with water to keep them from crumbling.