A FORMER Tavistock College student proved his determination to realise his dreams after passing out into the army.

Luke Dunne, 18, who is now a combat engineer in the Royal Engineers, went back to school after missing out on the required GCSE grades and boosted his results in order to join the armed forces.

 Luke's stepmother Tanya Lees said: 'His dad, myself and the rest of his family are all so very proud of him. He'd always wanted to join but he didn't get the right grades in maths and English.

'It was something he wanted and he knew he had to work for it so he went to Duchy College for three months to up his grades and do a public service course where he was able to improve his fitness and get an insight into army life at the same time.'

Luke – whose dad was in the army and whose uncle is a colonel — now hopes to train as an officer. He was one of just five out of 60 to pass his marksman test and has been asked to become a rifleman.

'He's done 14 weeks' training at Basingbourne up in Cambridgeshire and he's now in Hampshire which is a bit harder and more challenging,' said Mrs Lees.