When Claire Silk left Matravers School she did so with no qualifications and having been told she would never get anywhere in life.

Mrs Silk, now 31, suffers from severe dyslexia and had dreaded going to school where lessons passed her by and she felt no one took an interest in her.

But her determination to better herself and years of hard work have earned her the Adult Learner of the Year Award.

She was unveiled as the winner at an awards ceremony at Wiltshire College, Trowbridge, last Thursday night.

She had already won the Skills for Life Learner Award when she was presented with the evening’s overall honour for her dedication to learning.

“I am so amazed to win this, I don’t know what to say,” said Mrs Silk, of Palmer Road, Trowbridge. “I have had so much help from the college.”

She had been nominated by tutors at the college, where she first went through a preparation for work course, which improved her reading and writing.

The course helped her get a job at Airsprung but she continued with her studies and is working towards an NVQ Level 2 Care qualification.

She now works as a carer at a centre for adults with mental disabilities at The Down in Trowbridge.

“I love working there, it is a real challenge. But I wouldn’t have got this far without all the help I have had,” said Mrs Silk, who is married to Dale, 37, and has two children, Jessica, four, and Joshua, three.

Tutor Karen O’Connell said: “Claire is an inspiration. She is just so determined and works to hard at her studies, as well as keeping a family going.

“She is always ready to help other students as well.”

Award winners: Adult Work Based Learner of the Year: Fabio Barata and Michael Skuse; Higher Education Learner of the Year: Sarah Smith; Trainer of the Year: Helen Morgan; Inspiring Others to Learn Award: Trish Nicholls; Enterprise Learning Award: Monica Symonds and Nicholas Harbron: Inspiring Learning Project Award: Aldbourne Youth Council the Skills for Life Learner Award: Claire Silk; Wiltshire Adult Learner of the Year: Claire Silk.