HIS bags are already packed and Glen Shorey, who suffers from a rare degenerative disease, is off to his dream university after finding out he achieved a set of glowing A-level grades.

The ecstatic Sandringham School pupil woke up last Thursday morning with butterflies in his stomach as he prepared to discover if he had secured a place at Brunel University to study journalism.

While Glen was unsure how his exams had gone, he ripped open his results envelope to see two years of hard work had earned him an A in history and media studies, and a B in philosophy.

He said: “I was very nervous a few days running up to it. At 8.45am I got an email confirming my university place so I knew I had got the three Bs that I needed.

“I went to school at about 10.30am and found out I had actually got two As and a B. I was ecstatic, I could not believe it because I thought they had gone wrong.”

The 18 year old, of Corinium Gate, St Albans, suffers from Friedreich’s Ataxia and has recently had major spinal surgery, but he was determined his illness wouldn’t stop him from going to university.

Glen is now preparing to begin his studies in September and is eager to start working towards a career as a sports journalist.

He added: “It has always been my ambition to go to university. I cannot wait to go because it will help me grow into an independent young man.

“My parents have been very supportive and I want to thank my teaching assistants as without them I would not have done as well.”