Ben Kenyon, a delegate on Press Association Training's multimedia foundation course in Newcastle, picked up on the story after finishing the first of two law exams.

A contact had emailed to tip him off about the case of swine flu – the first confirmed in the North East.

Although he had only 45 minutes before his next exam, he was able to stand the story up in time for it to hit the front page of Newcastle's Evening Chronicle.

Said Ben: "My contact mentioned an email sent out by Newcastle University that said someone who shared a house with two students had been confirmed as having swine flu.

"I knew I had to get that email, but I only had about 45 minutes before the next law exam started."

So, instead of last-minute revision on defamation and contempt, Ben hit the phones and with only minutes to spare, the all-important email landed in his basket, standing up the story.

He said: "I had told the newsdesk upstairs and I sent them the email and the story I had so far, and went back into the exam room."

While Ben, who comes from Blackburn, was sweating it out with the NCTJ exam, the Evening Chronicle was changing the splash.

By the time he emerged two hours later, his by-line was on the front page.

Paul Jones, head of Press Association Foundation Course Training, said: "Ben did a great job. How easy would it have been for him to hand the story over because of the exams?

"Not a bit of it. He was determined to nail it himself and he did."

The Newcastle University graduate, who is soon to finish the 17-week course, is still looking for a job.

Mr Jones said: "Times are tough, but even so, I've every confidence in Ben getting his break. That's if he’s passed his law exams, of course."