Six outstanding Bradford students who have battled against the odds to change their lives through education will be honoured at an awards ceremony at St George's Hall, Bradford, tonight.

The awards are being given as part of national Adult Learners Week which celebrates individual learning achievements.

Geoffrey Kime, 50, of Clayton, thought his life was over when he was crushed by a wardrobe. He slipped a disc in the accident and the next day was paralysed from the chest down.

He was given a computer by his brother and started a series of computer courses at Bradford College.

"I'm not likely to be able to work again because of my injuries, and the course helps to keep my brain working," he said.

Since taking a basic computer skills course, Mr Kime is now learning programming and is planning to take more courses in the future.

Mother-of-two Bozena Bak, 48, of Shipley, is two years into a law degree at Bradford College. She started the course after battling with clinical depression and feels that studying has helped her to overcome her problems.

"The depression was quite bad, I wanted to get out of that downward spiral feeling and the course certainly helped, it's kept me focused," she said.

"I've always been someone who worked very hard to achieve an end and I'm very proud to receive this award and have my hard work acknowledged."

For Thelma Howley, 33, of Keighley, education was the route out of a series of dead end jobs and the best way to provide for her family's future.

She is set to complete an Advanced GNVQ in science and will start a degree in bio-medical science this year at the University of Bradford.

Mrs Howley said: "Without a doubt if it wasn't for education I'd be on a till in a supermarket, It's not until you get back into education that you see your own potential."

Other award winners include Patricia Pether, 37, of Keighley, Robert Thomson, 34, of Heaton, and Angela Brook, 35, of Manningham, a former Bradford prostitute who has also won a national award for her successful studies at Bradford University.