A LANCASTER mother of four, who stomped out of school without sitting any exams, is enjoying a new career helping other people to turn their lives around.

Thirty-nine year-old Sue Arthington, who has battled against a debilitating heart condition all of her life, has achieved 10 qualifications and a 'dream job' that makes a difference.

"It's good to be alive! If someone had told me two years ago what I would be doing now, I would have laughed at them," says Sue, who has transformed her life with the help of national charity Shaw Trust.

After 10 years stuck on disability benefits, Sue had a CV that included a handful of dead end jobs and YTS schemes - and a good knowledge of daytime TV.

Now she has a job she loves, working for Signpost's multi agency resource centre in Morecambe and helping to 'empower' the community.

She still gets breathless but says:. "I've learned learn to live with it. As a teenager I tried not to let it stop me living but I went too far the other way. I was rebellious and got into trouble."

Despite doctors' fears that her heart wouldn't cope, Susan got pregnant at 18 with Lisa, now 21, and went on to have Sarah 20, Gary 19 and Danny 14 too.

Then she decided she'd had enough of being on benefits.

"When my youngest was old enough not to need me at home all day I thought 'Right, it's time for me'," she says. "I didn't want to be on disability all my life. I just wanted to get on with living."

She made all the right moves, going to college to get qualifications and then taking a voluntary job with local charity Signpost to ease herself back into employment.

Pamela Beswick, project director at the resource centre, says: "We are delighted that Sue has had such a positive experience by working as a volunteer with us."

Sue's pretty pleased too, and her family and friends hardly recognise her.

She says: "To anyone else stuck on benefits, I'd say 'Have a go. Life can change'. I used to hate it when people asked me what I did and I'd have to say I was on disability benefits.

"Now I'm a totally different person. My parents and my children are proud of me and, actually, I'm proud of myself."