A March woman who is determined to pursue her dream of becoming a vet despite health setbacks is in a competition that hails the achievements of young people in Cambridgeshire.

Jessica Bax has been nominated for Linx Young People of the Year. The competition recognises and rewards young positive role models and there is £2,000 in prize money for winners to share with the community.

She was nominated by Ursula Lowe, lecturer in chemistry at Cambridge Regional College and Jessica’s personal tutor.

Jessica, 21, of Russell Avenue, has always loved pets but it was when doing her GCSEs she decided that she wanted to become a vet.

However, she suffered anxiety and panic attacks, which have continued. Since then she has done different training courses and tried her hand at various work experience to help her chances.

She did work experience at three different veterinary practices, two farms and a riding stables. She has also volunteered at Shepreth Wildlife Park in north Hertfordshire, which included feeding animals and mucking-out their accommodation.

Jessica has also worked part-time in a fish and chop shop to help fund her studies.

All this has paid off and she has a conditional offer to study on a five-year-course at the Royal Veterinary College in London from this September.

“When I got the news of a conditional offer at the college it meant the world to me,” said Jessica. “I burst into tears. I have had some setbacks but I’m very determined to make a go of it”.

# Do you know somebody who deserves the title Young Person of the Year? To nominate logon to yopey.org or write, enclosing a stamped-addressed-envelope, to YOPEY, Woodfarm Cottage, Bury Road, Stradishall, Newmarket CB8 8YN for a paper entry form. Entries close August 15.