The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Adult Learners Grant (ALG) offers adults up to £30 a week to go back to learning, and has been a massive success with take-up in the first year exceeding expectations, proving just how popular the grant is.

The ALG was piloted in areas including the north east from 2003 and became available nationally from June 2007.

Since the north east pilot in 2003, a total of 4,736 grants have been awarded in the region.

The ALG was so successful when it was piloted that the national roll-out was brought forward a year.

Jane Stone from Tynemouth, and her daughter Emma Cornforth from North Shields have just completed exams at TyneMet College after funding from the ALG.

Jane, 54, was back in education for the first time in nearly 40 years after being self-employed for many years and bringing up a family with her fisherman husband.

She said: "I did a number of jobs after leaving school at 16, including working in a bank.

"I had a guest house and a newsagents for a long time, and most recently a market stall.

"At the moment I have a part time job in customer service.

"But I always wanted to be an environmental health officer and when Emma got a place at TyneMet College to get the qualifications she needed to go to university, I was prompted to do the same."

Emma, 26 and also married, was studying again ten years after leaving school.

Both mother and daughter have taken a one-year Higher Education Foundation Course, which will enable them to take up university places.

Jane has been offered a place at Northumbria University to study environmental health and Emma is aiming to go to Leeds University to take a degree in forensic psychology.

Jane said: "I would recommend it to anyone.

"Getting ALG was a big help to both of us. The grant goes towards books, which can be very expensive, other equipment for college and the cost of transport".

Visit www.direct.gov.uk/alg for more information or call 0800 121 8989.