FOR Stourport's Karen Simpson gaining her degree was a matter of keeping her long-term aim in sight.

During her studies for her Open University BSc Mrs Simpson, 28, of Steatite Way, married, had a little girl, divorced and moved house three times.

Throughout all this upheaval and working full-time she somehow managed to keep sight of her long-term aim to graduate - even managing to keep up her hobbies of horse riding and archery.

The keen member of the Worcester Bowmen, who has also shot for the county, managed by fitting in several hours of studying each evening, after work and after putting little girl, Jasmine, to bed.

Mrs Simpson, a design engineer, said: "At times, it has been really hard. In fact, the last two years have been a nightmare and I nearly gave up but I knew that if I did, I would kick myself later. Also, the company I work for were expecting me to do well."

She added the flexibility of the Open University was a great help: "I was able to do a little bit and go back to it later if I needed to."

Mrs Simpson made the decision to study for her degree through the Open University eight years ago after gaining a technical apprenticeship and qualifying as an engineer.

The Kidderminster heating elements manufacturing company where she has worked since leaving school at 16, Zortech International, part of Ceramaspeed, also agreed to pay all her tuition fees.

Mrs Simpson, now in product marketing at the firm, said: "I could not afford to go away for four years and this way I was able to keep my job.

"I chose a BSc (Open), which involved a mixture of design, materials technology, economics, and IT, and seemed a logical progression after my apprenticeship."

Eight years on, she found herself, last Saturday, at Birmingham Symphony Hall accepting her degree from Dame Betty Boothroyd.

She said: "It has taken eight years but I got there in the end."