A role model student, whose parents died within months of each other, could be forced to quit her A-level studies because she doesn't have enough money to live off.

Seventeen-year-old Kirsty Oldfield, a sixth former at Salt Grammar School in Baildon, has been surviving on part-time earnings as a waitress and small handouts since she was orphaned.

But her financial situation is becoming so desperate she fears it will end her dream of studying at university to become a criminal psychologist. The only state cash Kirsty receives is an Education Maintenance Allowance of £30 a week.

And she has been told that she would have to become pregnant to be entitled to benefits while continuing her education - a situation described as "outrageous" by Shipley MP Philip Davies.

Her dad, Chris Oldfield, suffered a fatal heart attack in a supermarket car park, aged 46, in January this year.

His death came only eight months after her mum Jackie died of an alcohol-related illness while Kirsty was studying for her GCSE exams at the-then family home in Leeds Road, Windhill, Shipley.

Initially, she was entitled to claim income support and housing benefit but even that was taken away from her because she earned too much money - £150 per week - while temporarily working the equivalent of full-time hours at The Connection restaurant in Shipley.

Despite cutting her hours to 14 per week which earns her about £70, she still cannot claim a penny.

Kirsty said: "I said to my head teacher that I might be dropping out because I can't afford to carry on.

"My teachers said that there must be something that I can do but I have asked my benefits adviser and they said I can't claim for anything.

"They said the only way I can claim anything is by becoming pregnant and I don't want to do that because it is wasting my life."

Kirsty, who is in her first year of a two-year course studying A-levels in ICT, Sociology and General Studies, is now living with her half-sister Maggie Blackburn and Maggie's boyfriend Andrew Roberts, both 20, in a three-bedroom house in Daleside Road, Windhill.

She will be entitled to money in a trust fund from the sale of her parents' home when she is 21 and a grant to put her through university but first she has to complete her A-level studies.

But she is now struggling to continue her education at a time when the Government proposes to raise the school-leaving age to 18 by 2015.

Salt teacher Max Robinson, who helped Kirsty to gain four A grades in her GCSEs, said: "I was her teacher during the time when her mum died and she battled on at school. She was unbelievable. Then she lost her dad and, amazingly, she was still coming into school. She's a role model to students and a promising pupil. She gives 100 per cent all the time."

A church and the school had offered small grants to see Kirsty past Christmas.

Mr Robinson, who has enlisted the help of constituency MP Mr Davies, said: "She seems to be in this tiny loophole in the system. It is horrendous."

Mr Davies has now demanded answers from Schools Minister Ed Balls about how such a situation can happen.

He said: "This is just the most deeply tragic and heart-rending situation.

"It would be tragic for anyone to be in this situation, especially a talented pupil who really wants to be there.

"The school has been incredibly supportive and offered all the help that it can but it can only do so much.

"If anybody is in a position to help and really wants to do something to make a difference to this person's life, then I couldn't think of anyone more deserving."

  • Anyone who is able to sponsor Kirsty during her A-level studies should contact Salt Grammar School on (01274) 415551.

  • Start or join a debate on this issue in our online forum - Click here