A quartet of university students left without shorthand classes have been offered free tuition by a journalism trainer.

Last Monday, we reported how Coventry University had decided to cancel a non-compulsory shorthand module because only four out of its 40 final year journalism students had opted to take it.

But now Cleland Thom, who runs online journalism training school CTJT, has signed up for the foursome to his Teeline e-course – something which would normally cost over £1,000.

He said: “This was a disgraceful situation – the university clearly thought its budget was more important than giving these students the tools they need to work.

“Training journalists without shorthand is like training a doctor without teaching emergency first aid.”

Cleland set up the e-course after a year researching why journalists found the subject so difficult.