A PASSION for stock car racing and for breeding poultry are two of the more unusual interests of students settling into life at York's Askham Bryan College.

For Molly Robson,16, from Staindrop, near Darlington, her stock car racing enthusiasm marries up perfectly with her studies – agricultural engineering.

She said: “I started here last week, and I'm loving it. I'm the only girl on my course but that's fine. The tutors are great, the equipment is brilliant and already I'm far more confident.

"I get involved in everything and just go for it! Then at the weekends I'm competing in stock car races up and down the country.”

Molly, who's from a farming family, has been competing since she was 12 years old and is following in the footsteps of her father.

She said: “I love the course, it's practical as well as learning the theory. Ultimately I'd like to go on and study for a degree and then go into the design side, but for now, I'm very happy with where I'm at.”

For third year agriculture student Ollie Thomson, his degree course has proved a stepping stone towards becoming a successful entrepreneur.

Now in the final year of his foundation degree, Ollie, who lives in York, is combining his studies with breeding, selling and showing poultry.

He said: “Farming has always been in my head even though I'm not from a farming family; I think it's ever since I got a toy farm when I was a kid.

"Since I've been here, I've managed to get loads of practical experience, not only with poultry but also on the college farm, on a dairy farm, helping with lambing as well as working at a poultry breeder's.

"The course is great, and am thinking of applying to train as a lecturer; the staff here are the salt of the earth, so keen to help and approachable.”

Ollie has around 100 birds in total including Peking Bantams, Call Ducks, fawn and white Indian Runner Ducks, Welsummer chickens as well as Light Sussex.