ONE west Cumbrian student has finished her schooling having never had a single day off from the day she started education at the age of five.

Abbie Armstrong, from Maryport, finished her time at Netherhall School in the town with full attendance throughout her seven years in secondary education and sixth form.

But it doesn't stop there, with Abbie also holding a full attendance record from the first day she started school at Maryport Church of England Primary School in infant school at the age of five.

Helen Armstrong, Abbie's mum, said: "I'm so proud of her. She has pushed herself even on days when she didn't want to go. She has always said 'I've got to get my attendance'. She has gone when she is poorly... even her headmaster is really proud of her.

"All the teachers big her up all the time. If she goes in with a cold or something they say 'you can't have a day off, you will have to keep this up'."

Abbie, who has been head girl at Netherhall for the last year, is waiting on her A level results in August and is hoping to study geography at Lancaster University, starting in September.

Speaking about her attendance, Abbie said: "It's weird because all of my friends they will have days off... and I just won't.

"I have just been there all of the time, and they are like, 'that's insane', but I don't know - it's just normal to me."

Abbie has said she has never been so poorly that she needed to have a day off. She admitted there are times when she has been tempted not to go in, although she never gave in to the impulse and just thought: 'I best keep going'.

Headteacher at Netherhall School, David Tromans, said: "Three students - Abbie Armstrong, Callum Todd and Ben Potts - have all achieved 100 per cent attendance throughout the full seven years.

"That's the full entirety of key stage three, key stage four and key stage five of schooling.

"It's a remarkable achievement and testimony to their dedication and their fabulous attitude. Understandably all three students have done brilliantly well at school as well."