A photography student met her idol – and now wants to follow in his footsteps.

Rebekah Doyle, 19, takes pictures of punters for keyrings at the Bridgewater pub in Darwen, but fancies herself as a fine art photographer.

After meeting Professor Thomas Joshua Cooper, who founded the Glasgow School of Art’s Fine Art Photography Department, she told of her plans to follow in his footsteps.

The New Lane, Oswaldtwistle, resident said: “I didn’t leave school with a lot of qualification and I was always more creative than academic.

“I didn’t have many GCSEs, and that was my fault not Mount Carmel’s, as it’s a good school.

“I always wanted to do photography, it was always a hobby, but I needed to get my maths and English GCSEs so I went back to college and got them with the aim of pursuing a career in photography.

“I went to look around Blackburn College and I signed up the morning I went in for the Extended National Diploma in Photography Level Three course as they just made me feel so welcome and it has such a good reputation.

“I have learnt a lot on the course and also like filming and work part-time taking the keyring photographs which I love.

“I have started looking at universities and Glasgow’s School of Art has a really good reputation.”

And this is where she bumped into someone she greatly admires – by sheer chance.

Rebekah added: “I went to look around but I sneaked in at a post graduate day even though I didn’t qualify. I took my portfolio and just asked if I could show it to someone. They took me to a room and I thought I would just meet a secretary but then I was suddenly shaking hands with Thomas Joshua Cooper and I felt so lucky. He is someone I admire and he is a genius in his field.

“He looked at my portfolio and took a lot of interest in what I was doing and my work and I have applied to go there. He even sent me an email wishing me a happy new year!

“I love fine art. My photos are vibrant and I also like photographing people. I am so excited to see what the future holds.”