The Gazette's letters page has been lively in recent weeks thanks to the perennial issue of women balancing their work and home lives.

But for police officer and part-time legal practice course student Emma Gilmour, this does not appear to be much of a problem.

Ms Gilmour achieved the highest average pass marks (85%) at the College of Law's London branch this summer, the first time a part-time student has won such an accolade - and she did it despite having had triplets during her studies.

Ms Gilmour gave birth to Eve, Grace and Lily last October, having been in hospital for two months beforehand.

A week after the birth, she persuaded doctors to let her husband drive her to London to continue her course, and from that time never missed a session at Store Street.

Ms Gilmour paid tribute to her family in helping with childcare, and to the college for 'putting me in a separate room, near a toilet when I was first pregnant and feeling very sick, so that I could take mid-course exams without distracting other students'.