A gifted Worthing grandmother has proved to be an old master on a college art course.

Daphne Brauner has stunned tutors by earning a distinction in her studies at Northbrook College, Worthing.

After excelling in her one-year full-time foundation course, Daphne, 61, now plans to take a five-year BA in sculpting.

She said she hoped her efforts would inspire other older people to make the most of their talents.

Daphne, of Bath Road, said: "I have always liked art and am fascinated by it. I did an evening class in art before this but was terrified when I started this course.

"But the atmosphere of a college art shop seems to make you feel more creative than sitting in-doors at home and it's a nice way of meeting people.

"There are quite a lot of people of my age group doing the part-time course but the class I was in this year was much younger.

"One girl said she was 30 and that classed her as mature. But I would recommend this to anyone of my age."

Her year's work was on display in the college this week with a velvet-covered canvas particularly eye-catching.

The mother-of-four explained: "The image is of the mouth of a carnivorous pitcher plant.

"I was using natural organic forms as my subject and took photo-graphs at specialist nurseries of lots of plants.

I looked at the Venus flytraps and thought you don't see those in art very much.

"I found the forms very interesting and delved into them. I zoned in on certain parts and rather liked this image of the mouth.

"It's all in red velvet and it seemed to need to be done in 3-D form on the canvas.

"My family came down to look and they were quite impressed. I think they're very proud I've done something and haven't just sat back with my slippers on."