A teenager has celebrated winning a place at medical school - on her birthday.

Khadija Meghrawi turned 18 on the day she picked up two A*s in English literature and biology and an A in chemistry to win a place at Bristol University to study medicine.

She said: "It is the best birthday I could have wished for and I didn't think I had done as well as this.

"I am going to medical school and it has always been my dream since I was a small child to be a doctor.

"I grew up listening to my mother's stories about being a doctor. When she came to this country from Libya, she gave it up to bring me up.

"Getting into medical school means so much to her.

"Although I had a conditional place at Bristol, I had a clearing spreadsheet ready - I can't believe it. It was make or break because you can't do resits and I would have to have done a science degree and transferred to medicine later."

Miss Meghrawi, who wants to become a psychologist, said: "I've experienced first-hand the strains and pressures young people go through.

"It is something I am so passionate about and I feel so privileged that I am able to do it."

The teenager, from Fishponds in Bristol, was a student at St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School in the city, added: "I can't thank the people at the school enough. The teachers have been so supportive."

Headteacher Elisabeth Gilpin said: "I am delighted that our students have done so well at A-level this year.

"We have a 99% pass rate with 81% getting A* to C grades and 32% of students got the very highest grades of A* or A.

"We have at least nine students who are taking up their place at Oxford or Cambridge this year.

"We encourage students to be really active in researching the best university course, apprenticeship, job, gap year for them so that they take the very best next step on their life journey.

"We also encourage a wide range of extracurricular opportunities whilst they are with us so they continue to develop as whole people and have the best chance of succeeding in life and making a really worthwhile contribution to the world as young adults."

By Rod Minchin