An art student has changed her name by deed poll to that of her lecturer in the hope of clinching her degree.

With her final exams looming, Jo Slasor knew she had to come up with a radical plan if she was to pass after three years' slacking.

Her only hope was to get into the good books of the man who would be marking her art exam, so she decided to pay him the ultimate compliment.

The 22-year-old hired a solicitor and within a matter of hours her name was legally changed - to his.

Jo, of Upper Lewes Road, Brighton, hopes art tutor Billy Cowie will look more favourably on her work now she shares his name.

Jo, now known as Billy, is in her third year at Brighton University, studying for a degree in music and visual arts.

She said: "I was doing quite badly on the course, failing a lot of things and not going to college half the time.

"We were told Billy was going to be in charge of marking the degrees so I thought it would be a bit of a joke to take his name as a sort of compliment.

"I looked in the Yellow Pages, chose the solicitor with the funniest name - Beardsells - and made an appointment.

"All I had to do was pay £30 and fill in a few forms and I had a new name. The solicitor wasn't fazed when I told her why. She said she lived in Brighton so she was used to seeing crazy things."

Jo has bank cards, cheque books and a passport in her new name. At college she is on the register as Billy and she has been to Venice using her new passport.

"My mum didn't really understand. She is always saying: "What's this conceptual art stuff all about?"

Jo, who plans a career in advertising, says the real Billy was relaxed when told.

She said her final degree project would be a series of documents under her new name.

Mr Cowie, who is an artistic director with dance company Divas, was unavailable for comment.

Jo said: "He is a really funny guy, very laid back. He hasn't said much. He just looked amused."