While teenagers across the country prepare for life beyond year 11, elderly married couple Mrs Barbara Gillespie, 70, and Mr Bernard Gillespie, 68, from Churchstoke, are celebrating top results more than 50 years after passing their original O levels.

The happy couple, who have a passion for Spanish football, have been studying the language at Coleg Powys in Newtown for the past 12 months before receiving their exam results last week.

"We are absolutely delighted to have both achieved A*s," said Barbara, with a beaming smile across her face.

"My husband and I have been learning Spanish on and off for about five years in order to go to Spain and cope in the summer. However, 12 months ago we both decided to study the language properly and joined an evening course at Coleg Powys.

"There were only four of us taking the course, one 17-year-old girl and three old grannies," she joked.

What makes Barbara's achievement more remarkable is the fact she was between two cataract operation during her exam.

"When I did the exam I only had one working eye," she added.