TWO sisters celebrated a double family success last week, after passing their exams with flying colours.

Months of hard work brought Sarah and Alice Walcock A-grades in all their subjects studied at Westwood St Thomas School.

Sarah (18) achieved two A-grades in her art and design GNVQ and is off to the University of the West of England, Bristol, in October, to begin an art foundation course.

But success was bitter-sweet for, Alice (19) who got three grade-As in A-level maths, biology and chemistry, but still has no place at university.

Alice, who lives at Christie Miller Road, Salisbury, with her mother, Sally Owen, brother, Davey (five), and other younger sister Emma (seven), wants to study medicine.

She spends her spare time working as a care assistant at Salisbury District Hospital with children and the elderly but, despite the high grades and commitment, Alice failed to get a place.

There were no last-minute places to be picked up last week, either, as every slot to study medicine in the country was taken.

Alice now plans to reapply next year.

Proud mum, Sally, said she was "shell-shocked" at the results.

"They have both got all the grades they ever dreamt of, but it seems so wrong that Alice has not got a place," she said.

"She does not want to do anything other than medicine and still hopes to get in at Southampton University."

Alice has decided to take a year out to going travelling and plans to start by visiting her uncles in Australia.

"I was overwhelmed with my grades - I could not believe it," she said.

"But I could not have worked any harder."