STUDENT Sarah Acum was celebrating an A-grade triumph today after succeeding in her A-levels while battling a serious heart condition.

Sarah, 20, a student at York College, started suffering from super-ventricular tachycardia, which speeds up the heartbeat and causes palpitations, at the age of 15.

When she began her studies at York College, after taking her GCSEs at Canon Lee School, she was 18 and was already behind with her education.

While there she had to take a lot of time off.

But she didn't let her illness put her off her studies and came out with two As in history and sociology in the A-level results - enough to get her to Nottingham University to study history.

And her good news was all the more enjoyable because a month ago she had an operation on her heart to tackle the condition for good.

Sarah, from Clifton Moor, York, went to Leeds General Infirmary for the operation.

She said: "I had to have laser surgery on my heart and they burned out the part of the heart that was causing the problem.

"I was told if I didn't have the operation things would have got dangerous by the time I was 40."

Sarah is still waiting for her English A-level result, but got high enough grades to get into Nottingham regardless.

She said: "It's my dream to go to Nottingham. I'm so shocked."

Sarah's history teacher, Andy Gwinnett, said: "Sarah has persevered and done really well. She is a conscientious student and very bright. Someone who's a fighter fights in every area of life and shines as a result. She thoroughly deserves it."

She was congratulated by her friends, Kathryn Thompson and Natalie Sharp, who also picked up results yesterday at the college.

A number of North Yorkshire schools are among the top performers in this year's A-level results.

St Aidan's and St John Fisher in Harrogate came 42nd and Ripon Grammar School came 45th in a national list of schools which have given their details so far.

In the same list, which is not intended to be definitive, King James's School in Knaresborough came 85th, Harrogate Grammar School came 95th and Northallerton College came 99th.

The country's top A-level student was Frederick van der Wyck, 18, an ex-pupil of exclusive Westminster School, who achieved seven As.

He narrowly pipped state school leaver Jennifer Peachey, from Witham in Essex, who got six As at Colchester County High School for Girls .

Yesterday also saw two 12-year-olds, Kieran Dayah and Rupal Patel, pass A-level maths.

Frederick got top marks in Dutch, German, history, mechanics, physics, pure maths and statistics, and now plans to read maths at St John's College, Oxford.

Updated: 11:13 Friday, August 17, 2001