A GRADUATE is celebrating her success after tutors helped diagnose a rare form of dyslexia.

Sophie Skellern, 21, who had been tested for the condition when she was younger, was shocked when more tests at University Centre Blackburn College confirmed it.

Rather than the more common form of dyslexia which usually affects a person’s reading and writing, Sophie’s affects her ability to process information.

But she has since gained a First Class BA (Hons) Fine Art (Integrated Media) degree.

And after two successful exhibitions, Sophie has landed a job in the arts services at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

Sophie, who moved to Blackburn part-way through her course, said: “I moved to Blackburn College in my second year of study and it was the best two years of my life.

“I was originally studying at Bournemouth but I realised that it just wasn’t for me so, on undertaking some research into the northern wonders of Blackburn, I decided to give it a try.

“When I rang up and spoke to the tutor he was so friendly and inviting. I knew then I had to transfer. Blackburn has been really rewarding and I definitely have no regrets.”

As part of her course, Sophie spent some time in Cape Town and said: “Cape Town was out of this world.

“I gained cultural insight from meeting and speaking to their students while looking around their university.

“Immersing myself in the culture really put things into perspective. The experience was extremely valuable to me and my work, providing me with the inspiration for one of exhibitions which was an art trail displayed around Blackburn town centre.

“Now I work for Blackburn with Darwen Council as part of the art service.

“We are now setting up a new arts centre where we can look at running lots of different art exhibitions.”