A teenager from war-torn Burundi whose mother died just a month after the family arrived in Bradford was today tipped for a bright future in medicine.

Don Munyaneza was left to single-handedly bring up his family after his mother's death but he has gone on to excel at Belle Vue Boys School in Heaton.

The 19-year-old has now picked up a top maths prize from Cottingley accountancy firm MGI Watson Buckle and staff at Belle Vue are tipping him to win a place at medical school.

Today Don said he dreamed of qualifying as a doctor so he could return to his troubled homeland and help it overcome the effects of the bloody civil war.

When he sits his final exams next year, he is hoping to secure a place at Leeds University so he can stay at the family home in Heaton to look after his two sisters, aged 14 and 16.

Don, who is expected to secure a string of A grades, said it had taken him and his sisters some time to overcome the loss of their mother. "It was very difficult for me because I didn't know what would happen," he said. "I thought my mum would be able to show me stuff and help look after us, and when she was gone I was left a bit confused.

"We were surrounded by very different people to what we had known before and we had to start to make friends.

"It was hard at first, but after a time, things did start to settle down."

In Burundi, Don had found his schooling disrupted because of the explosive political situation. He said there were more computers at Belle Vue than in the whole of his hometown of Bujumbura.

"School is OK. I get on well with everybody and it is unusual because I am the only black person in the sixth form," he said.

"But I fitted in quite easily and found that people wanted to know me and I wanted to know them.

"I speak to the Asian people about Pakistan and I have helped them to learn about Africa." He received £50 of book tokens from MGI Watson Buckle for his results in AS level maths as part of a scheme the firm is running to encourage youngsters to take up the subject.

"It is really nice to get these vouchers because at the moment I have to spend all the money we have on bills and it is difficult to afford to buy books," he said.

"I just hope I can maintain my results. When things have settled down in Burundi, I want to go back to my country and do what I can to help the people there."

Christian Bunting, assistant head teacher at Belle Vue, said: "Don has shown exceptional dedication and effort and is a remarkable role model for the other students.

"He has supported the school in voluntary work, helping out at events such as open evenings where he is very good at speaking to parents who have just arrived in this country.

"I am sure he will make a real success of his career. We are lucky to have him here and he has done the school proud."

David Warren, of MGI Watson Buckle, said: "Through these awards I met lots of good prize winners, but Don really did stand out for what he has achieved in such a short space of time.

"But in every school there were success stories and it does give you real hope for the future of the city."