Olympian honoured by university - graduate jobs

Double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes has added another accolade to her haul after collecting an honorary degree from Brunel University.

Chancellor Lord Wakeham presented an honorary doctorate to the middle-distance runner, who took gold in the 800 and 1,500 metres at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

She said perseverance was the secret to her success: "If you get knocked down seven times, get back up because on the eighth attempt, you might succeed."

The 39-year-old athlete, from Kent, who was made a Dame in 2005, started running when she was 12 years old after being encouraged by a school PE teacher.

Since her double Olympic gold win, she has become an ambassador for British athletics and in May was named the new president of Commonwealth Games England.

Also honoured by the university was former student and Olympic heptathlete Kelly Sotherton. She received an honorary master's degree at the Indoor Athletics Centre in Uxbridge, West London