AN Oxford University undergraduate issued a rallying cry to young people of Warrington to aim as high as possible at school in order to fulfil their potential.

Greg Horne, who is in his final year studying law at Christchurch College and attended Priestley College, sought to inspire the next generation of students with his motivational message.

Greg, from Lymm who is also planning on pursuing a career as a barrister after he graduates, filmed a video message in which he claimed he never believed Oxford was a viable option until he began studying at sixth form.

Calling on Warrington’s students to follow in his footsteps, Greg said: “My advice to anyone going through A-Levels is to believe in yourself because people are capable of so much more than they realise.

“Just having an enormous amount of heart and being willing to shoot for the stars with everything that you do would be my advice because the higher you aim the more you achieve.”

Greg, who also attended Lymm High School, claimed that it wasn’t until he enrolled at Priestley College and visited Oxford with his peers that he realised a place at the prestigious institution could be within his reach.

“I found out that the focus wasn’t just about my grades,” he said.

“At the interview you are asked deeper thinking questions just to figure out how your mind works and the sort of logic you have.”

And it isn’t just academia that makes Greg a special talent. In addition to his consistently impressive grades, he also coxes one of his university’s renowned rowing teams.

Greg’s inspirational video is being made widely visible, being shown to Priestley students – a college he has since returned to and offered advice at – to show them what they can achieve with the correct level of application being sought.

Considerable work is currently taking place between Priestley College and the UK’s leading Russell Group universities to ensure that students in the town view achieving places as obtainable.

Mark Salmon, a senior tutor at the Latchford-based college, said: “There is still an issue with young people across the north west not believing that Oxbridge or Russell Group universities are for them.

“Greg’s story – and that of countless others – proves this is not the case.”