A STUDENT who sat her A-level exams just weeks after major brain surgery has passed with flying colours.

Janette Broadbent, 18, underwent a four-and-a-half hour operation in March to remove a tumour and successfully sat her exams at Tytherington High School sixth form in May and June.

Surgeons at Macclesfield General Hospital operated on the growth between her left ear and brain, that was found after medics tried to correct a relatively simple ear problem.

Speedy surgery was essential and Janette was told the tumour must be removed before her exams.

After the lengthy operation in March, she spent two months recovering at her Hamilton Close home. Despite the major operation, she kept revising for her A-levels and had special help from teachers at Tytherington School.

The exam results were released on Thursday and Janette was delighted to discover she had a grade-A and two Bs in health-and-social care, biology and PE.

As a result of her hard work and support from her family and school, she is looking forward to studying nursery science at Nottingham Trent University.

Janette, who plays football for Macclesfield Town and Stockport County, said: "I've just rung my mum and dad with the news, and they're both crying with emotion. I think they thought I would have to retake the upper-sixth year again."

Her mum Ruth works in the X-ray department at Macclesfield hospital while dad Bob is with AstraZeneca. Sister Nicola, 21, also lives at home and works for AstraZeneca. The family celebrated her success with a meal in a Prestbury restaurant at the weekend.

Janette attended Puss Bank School as a young girl before Tytherington. She suffered increasing hearing loss as she grew older.

Medics discovered she had a problem with the cochlea in her inner left ear. This is a spiral-shaped organ resembling a snail shell that detects sound for the brain.

When surgeons were due to replace it in October, they discovered the tumour around her brain.

Janette said: "The October operation was supposed to be quite simple. But when the surgeons found the tumour round my brain, there was a lot of debate and I was detained in hospital.

"They said surgery couldn't wait until after my exams. It would be too late. And they thought I'd have to retake the whole school year. So they removed the tumour in the March operation. They thought I may have had it, in some form, since birth."

The tumour had eaten Janette's cochlea, so three tiny artificial cochlea 'bones' had to be inserted. She is now undergoing further tests and another operation is due in December.

Speaking about Tytherington School's support, Janette said: "My teachers were brilliant. They contacted the exam board and came to see me while I was recovering at home."

She thanked staff including head teacher Andrew Robinson, and teachers Caroline Brennan, Harry Atkinson, Guy Wharton, Colin Rowe and Andy Walter.

But she said: "Everyone has been really helpful to me, so I'm wary of singling-out individuals for special praise."

Janette spent three seasons with Macclesfield Town from the age of 13, then played for Stockport County. In addition to studying in Nottingham, she revealed she will play football for Nottingham Forest.