DEGREES at the double are being celebrated by a Barnoldswick family, as mother and son both graduate with honours.

Lots of young people have spent the past couple of months worrying about the results of their university finals and whether they'd get the degree they hoped for.

But not many have shared the experience with their mothers!

That was the case for Carol Squire, of Esp Lane, Barnoldswick, and her son Jamie, who have both just graduated from separate universities with a 2:1.

"I was more worried about Jamie's result than my own," said Carol. "I was delighted when we both got a 2:1 and I'm very proud of him."

At 50, Carol is a firm believer that you're never too old to learn something new. She has spent the past three years on a full-time degree course at the University of Central Lancashire, in Preston. Now she has graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in health sciences for complementary medicine.

Over recent years, complementary therapies have grown hugely in popularity, but some practitioners have been poorly qualified with little, if any, medical knowledge.

The course which Carol studied aims to address that problem.

"The course provides a bridge between the medical profession and complementary therapies," said Carol, who was a qualified hypnotherapist before she started studying for her degree.

She used to practise hypnotherapy in Skipton but had to give up when the main family business, theatrical outfitters Northern Costume Hire, started to take off.

Looking to the future, she hopes to put her new qualifications to good use, practising in hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, counselling and nutrition. Carol is also keen to continue her studies and take a Masters degree in the subject - just as soon as the course has been invented!

At 22, her son Jamie is on the brink of an exciting and challenging career as an actor.

He has just graduated with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in drama and theatre art from the University of London, Goldsmiths College.

A former pupil at Ermysted's Grammar School, Skipton, Jamie won the drama prize there and has featured in several local productions.

Now he is setting his sights on the national stage and the big screen, and has just auditioned for a film part.

At the moment he is home for the summer, but he intends to return to London soon because that's where most of the opportunities are in his chosen profession.