PHD for Simon

His subject was the 'microbial study of the arable soil surface' which he studied at Cranfield University in Bedford.

Mum Linda Jeffery, of Redwell Avenue, said she was "extremely proud" of 30 year old Simon who grew up in Bexhill and attended King Offa primary school and Churchwood before going on to Bexhill High, and Bexhill College for his a-levels.

Now officially a doctor, he will have his graduation ceremony in summer next year.

Linda said: "If I didn't know better, I would say he was found under a hedge - I don't know where he gets his intelligence from.

"He was always quite bright and in the top half of his year at school."

Simon spent two years travelling in Australia and Thailand and also completed a self-funded TEFL course in Spain before returning to Britain to start his degree in biological sciences at Plymouth University.

Linda added: "He has done very well. It is a weird feeling because I always knew he could do it - I always knew he had it in him. I would have been more surprised if he failed."