A STUDENT who chose to have his leg amputated just six months before vital exams is walking tall again after scooping ten top GCSEs.
Monty Merchie, a student at Ripon Grammar School, was born with a congenital malformation in the bones in his left leg.
He under went more than 25 operations, including having the malformation removed, but people with his condition are predisposed to non-union in bones so the surgery was not completely successful and he was still only able to walk using crutches.
Last year he took the momentous decision to opt to have the leg amputated and be fitted with a prosthesis after infection went through more bone.
"It was quite an easy decision to make in the end; I was just ready to get on with life," said Monty, 16, of Boroughbridge.
His mum Fiona added: "He's at an important stage of his life. Amputation was something we wouldn't have even thought about before but he reached an age where he wanted a leg he could use, that wouldn't hold him back any more."
Despite having a pump fitted to draw out the infection and the two-stage amputation at hospital in Sheffield, which meant missing most of the first term of his GCSE exam year last autumn, Monty achieved two A*s, three As, four Bs and a C grade.
He was fitted with his prosthetic leg in January. This summer he cycled 250km around France and has started running, helped by his physiotherapist.
"It's fantastic. I'm standing here now without crutches, which I had for ten years. I feel much better now," said Monty, who recently won an overcoming adversity through sport award in Harrogate after being nominated by Ripon Grammar School headmaster Martin Pearman.
Mr Pearman said: "Monty is an extremely courageous young man and an inspiration to everyone here. We are delighted for him and full of admiration that he was able to achieve a great set of GCSEs despite the school time he missed and the experience he has been through."
Monty, who plays piano and guitar, is staying on at Ripon Grammar School to study A levels in physics, maths, Spanish and music, with a long term plan to be a music producer or sound engineer.
Overall results at the grammar school saw 61.4 per cent of all grades being A* or A. There were particular successes in chemistry where 62 per cent of grades were A*, in art and design where 53 per cent were A*s and French, which saw 40 per cent of students gain an A*.
In further maths, four gained a rare ‘A hat’, a grade higher than A*, while a further 18 students achieved an A* and 13 gained an A in the subject.
Among the departmental successes are 15 stargazers who gained a rare GCSE in astronomy, seven achieving A*s, six getting As and two achieving a B. Ripon Grammar School is one of the few schools to offer the subject and has its own observatory..
Roscoe Savage, 16, of Galphay, who got an A in astronomy, said: "I chose it because it was different and something I'd never done before. We covered some of it in physics and the teachers made it sound really interesting, but I was hard with some A level maths and physics within the course.
"Twenty five per cent of it was practical which meant going out in the dark, which was good fun, and we have great astronomy facilities here with the observatory."
In geography, new head of department Rachael Kirkman was delighted with 27 students out of 39 gaining an A* or A.
The results were music to the ears of singer-songwriter and musician Billy Tweddle, who is signed to independent label Chess Club, a division of Sony Music, and performs under the stage name Billie Marten. She has performed her acoustic folk-inspired songs on BBC Radio 1 and at Leeds Fest.
Billy, 16, of Ripon, achieved three A*s, five As and two Bs. She said: "I started playing guitar and singing a bit when I was eight. We're a musical family and had David Bowie playing in the car instead of nursery rhymes when I was little.
"My mum recorded a video of me to put on YouTube for my grandparents in France. We thought nothing more of it, but then something happened and it went crazy. I started writing more songs and did small, local gigs.
"I don't want to be famous or anything like that. I just love music because it makes me happy. The attention has been accidental. My teachers have been been really supportive and my school work comes first, but it's nice to be able to keep writing songs."
Billy's next EP is due out in November, soon after she starts her A level courses in English literature, art and French.
Katie Veitch, 16, of Ripon, was one of the top performers with a clean sweep of ten A*s. Now ready to start A levels in history, art, RE and English, she said: "I'm really happy. I thought I had done a lot worse in some subjects so it's a great relief."
A further eight students achieved a string of top grades:
Emma Wilkinson - ten A*s and an A
Lucy Wicks – nine A*s and one A
Will Stobbs – one A hat, eight A*s and three As
Emily Evans – one A hat, nine A*s and two As
Lorna Aspinall – one A hat, eight A*s, two As
Susie Dinning – nine A*s, three As
Lydia Poole and Ben Wayne – nine A*s, two As
Headmaster Martin Pearman said: “I’m delighted for this year’s GCSE students who have worked extremely hard to gain such an excellent set of results. I’m also very pleased with some strong departmental performances which is just reward for the commitment and dedication of our staff team.”