A student who was struck down by the deadly hospital superbug MRSA achieved a 2.1 honours degree in a photography course which she based on her traumatic experience.

Claire Cleverly, 22, of Elder Close, Portslade, contracted the disease in January after an emergency operation to deal with an intestinal condition she has suffered since she was 15.

Despite two operations which led to septicaemia, leaving her with a 6in scar across her stomach, Claire managed to complete the necessary work for her photography BA at the Surrey Institute of Art and Design.

She considered suing the hospital in Essex where she contracted the virus but has since decided it would be too complex.

Miss Cleverly said: "When I was 15 I had to have a fifth of my large intestine removed as well as my appendix because I had a condition called ulcerative colitis.

"Everything was fine after that until I was 20. Then my intestine was so badly infected that the whole lot had to be removed.

"I had to have an ileostomy, which is basically where they take your small intestine and put it in a pouch outside your body and you attach a bag which has to be emptied periodically.

"I got used to it really quickly. I had felt so ill that I was just glad to be feeling better.

"I am a very positive person and I just got on with it.

"In October I am having a reversal so that the pouch can be internal rather than external which will be better.

"Everything was OK until I had some adhesions to my intestine and I had to have an emergency operation.

"It didn't go too well and I had to have another operation the next day.

"Then I got septicaemia and my body shut down. The MRSA meant that my scar from the operation got infected and kept opening.

"It was awful and I was in so much pain. I went home and I could hardly move.

"I couldn't get up and down the stairs.

"I had to go to the Royal Sussex County Hospital where I was treated really well.

"When I finally recovered I was left with a shark bite-style scar that finally healed three months later.

"I considered suing the Essex hospital but I decided it was not the fault of any particular person.

"My grandmother is in the Royal Sussex at the moment because she had a heart attack and I know she will receive excellent care. I hope she feels better soon.

"I had been working on my photography project before I went into hospital in January and I wanted to carry on.

"Every time I was at home recovering I worked on it. It gave me something to focus on.

"My tutors said I probably wouldn't finish in time but I thought 'I can do it.'.

"I based many of my projects on my health because I wanted to make people aware of what I went through and what I actually have as many people don't really understand.

"I was really pleased with my result and hopefully my project will help people to believe they can deal with things that happen to them and be optimistic."