Journalism students in Sheffield braved the worst summer floods in recent history to take their exams.

The Sheffield College trainees, in the final weeks of their course, were scheduled to take their second writing exam last Tuesday.

But many from outside Sheffield - or living in heavily flooded areas of the city - could not attend after most public transport was cancelled and roads were closed. Those who did make it to the college faced flooded roads and gridlocked traffic.

Student Olivia Hill, (22), who lives in Wakefield, said: "My dad gave me a lift in his 4x4 truck.

"The M1 was shut so we braved it through Barnsley. We drove through quite a few floods that were very high. It took two hours to get to Sheffield. We got there at 2pm just as it started."

Dominic Stanley, (24), of Sheffield, drove from Glastonbury, where he had spent the weekend enjoying the festival, planning to be at college in time to take the exam.

He said: "I got stuck in Nottingham. It had taken about four hours to get to Nottingham, then to get to Sheffield took about another six and a half hours. I thought I was going to be there all night and would have to sleep in the car. It was a nightmare.

"I was thinking the college would not be open by the time I got there but the traffic cleared up and from Chesterfield to Sheffield the roads were dead. It was quite a relief to get to the college. Well, not that much of a relief – I still had to do the exam."

Students who missed the exam, for their National Council for the Training of Journalists' Print Journalism course, will be able to take it today.

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