Glyn Jones, 21, of Carmel, near Holywell, has been awarded Bangor University's Dr John Roberts Jones Welsh student prize for 'outstanding academic achievement'.

Four major prizes are awarded by the university to the best graduates across all subject, and the former Ysgol Glan Clwyd pupil received an £800 prize during his recent degree awarding ceremony.

He was awarded another university prize, the Hedd Wyn prize, for the best essay written in Welsh on a literary or linguistic topic.

Glyn also won the John Morris-Jones prize for the best finals results and the Ellen Kent prize for the best thesis within the School of Welsh.

Professor Gerwyn Williams, at the School of Welsh, said: "The school had exceptionally good results this year, seven of our 34 graduating students attained first class honours.

"With very close results at the top, the individual who graduated with the best marks was Glyn.

"We are of course delighted with his success and offer our warm congratulations.

"He made a full and varied contribution as a student, not only did me make a valued academic contribution, but he was among the most active and committed peer guides in the school."

Glyn studied Welsh literature and language at the university's school of Welsh and had received an entrance scholarship when he embarked on his studies.

He said: "I started at university studying Welsh and Creative Writing as Bangor was the only university offering the degree combination and also the only university offering an entrance scholarship.

"I changed courses and staff at the school were very flexible.

"I enjoyed the variety of my degree course studying everything from old Welsh literature to modern literature and drama and language.

"Also the school staff were very friendly."

Glyn now hopes to go to Aberdeen University to study a higher M Lit degree course in Celtic Languages.

The course entails studying the role of lesser used languages such as Scottish and Irish Gaelic in society.