STAFF and students at Kidderminster College struck a chord with judges to win a regional training and development award.

Two outstanding district adult learners were also highly commended in the competition, organised by the Learning and Skills Council.

The college and its Mighty Atom Smasher Records - MAS - won the European Social Fund Award in the Celebration of Learning Achievement Awards, for a groundbreaking music course.

With European Social Fund money, the course achieved a 100 per cent pass rate last year, with 140 students learning not just about instruments, composition and performance, but also marketing, commercial awareness and ICT.

Trainee fitness instructor, Rosanna Humpage, 19, from Bewdley, was highly commended in the apprentice category, while 27-year-old Vander Browning was highly commended in the community-based learner category.

Miss Humpage, of Northwood Lane, is a qualified fitness instructor in the health club and gym at Stourport Manor Hotel and at Kidderminster's Glades Leisure Centre, while also studying an apprenticeship in group exercise with music, with the aim of becoming a personal trainer.

Mother-of-three Mrs Browning, of Severn Grove, Kidderminster, who has dyslexia, returned to the classroom to take a basic literacy and numeracy course so she could help her children with their reading and writing.

She has since completed an Open College Network course in work skills and has become a learning ambassador and administration assistant at the Oldington and Foley Park Community Network, as well as vice-chairman of the Kidderminster Sure Start committee.

Learning and Skills Council Herefordshire and Worcestershire's executive directive, Alan Curless, presented the awards during a finals ceremony and dinner at Malvern Theatres.