You're never too old to learn!

For at the age of 42, the former boilerman turned academic boffin has graduated with a BA (Hons) degree in electronics from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston.

Mr Ogden of Fieldhead Avenue, who left school without any qualifications, opted for further education after being made redundant twice in five years.

From 1991-93, he studied at Bury College and subsequently obtained a BTEC.

"I was the oldest student by far at the college," he recalled.

Straight from there, he gained a university place and later graduated with his BA (Hons) degree.

Now, as Mr Ogden's life has taken on a new direction, he hopes his career will do so too.

"I'm trying to get a job in electronics," he says.

But, says Mr Ogden, his biggest complaint is that many companies that he writes to fail even to acknowledge his letters.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.