A STUDENT from Birtley in the North Tyne who was prevented from taking up her veterinary science degree because of multiple sclerosis has gone on to win two prestigious farming awards.

Elizabeth Johnson was diagnosed with MS just a week before she was due to begin her studies towards becoming a vet.

But far from preventing her from pursuing her dream, she took a year out to work with racehorses in Northumberland and transferred from Bristol University on to an animal science BSc at Newcastle University, close to where she was receiving treatment.

Elizabeth, who originally hails from Oxford, said: “The best hospital to treat me was the Royal Victoria Infirmary so I ended up coming to Newcastle and transferring to do animal science to coincide with my treatment.”

Now 26, she has just completed her second year at Newcastle and has won a Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers Farm Health Management Award.

Elizabeth was also runner up in the Beef Student of the Year 2017 competition run by the Beef Shorthorn Society.

Now in its tenth year, the annual RABDF competition was open to agricultural and veterinary students from around the UK.

Applicants had to write a 1,500 word essay on proactive farm health management – a key element of the DEFRA animal health and welfare strategy.

Students had to demonstrate an understanding of disease costs and their impact on business performance, environment, welfare and meat/milk quality.

They also had to comment on the importance of collaboration between farm staff, vets and other advisers in formulating health management plans and consider the differences among the livestock sectors.

Elizabeth topped the field by demonstrating good use of research and an impressive analytical approach.

For the Beef Student of the Year she wrote another essay about how the UK suckler beef sector could cope post-Brexit.

“I looked into how traditional breeds could be used to create a more sustainable sector because they do well on marginal land and require lower inputs,” said Elizabeth.

“And I went and spoke to farmers around the North Tyne area, some of whom have traditional herds.”

Due to graduate in 2018, she hopes to go back to do a follow-up veterinary science degree and eventually work on disease within populations of livestock.

Of her awards she said: “It means a lot because I worked really hard and it’s really good to have recognition from the industry because then you really know that the work you have done is valid.”