India's A' level success brings joy and pride just six months after loss of her father who was well known Burnley doctor

India (18) plans to study History at either Liverpool or Lancaster after gaining As in History and Classics, C grades in Physics and Extended Project Qualification and E in Maths.

Thrilled India, who attended Westholme School in Blackburn, admitted she did better than she expected and said she 'couldn't believe it' when she saw her grades.

And her success is even more special as earlier this year India, who went to Higham Primary School, suffered the devastating loss of her father, well known doctor Devinder Sidhu. He died in February after a dignified and courageous battle against the disease Pulmonary Fibrosis.

India's mum, Julie Sidhu, said: "We are so pleased with India's success and very proud of her.

"She worked so hard considering all she has had to go through, including sitting her mock exams the day before her dad's funeral.

"We hope she had made her dad proud."

Indian born Dr Sidhu made Lancashire his home after marrying Julie, who was a student nurse from Padiham, in 1992. They met while working together at Burnley General Hospital

Dr Sidhu came to England in 1970 and worked at hospitals all over the country specialising in orthopaedics.

A Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, Dr Sidhu was also awarded a fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons' faculty of Accident and Emergency Medicine.

He worked at Blackburn and Burnley hospitals on a regular basis, as a registrar in orthopaedics at Blackburn and for eight years as associate specialist at Burnley General Hospital from 1991 until his retirement 10 years ago.