MANY a proud mum has watched their child leave home for university and wished they could go with them.

Few actually do, but then Remi Adejokun had a special reason to want to see her daughter Marian begin her teaching degree.

A year ago Marian, 20, nearly died after an horrific reaction to a single dose of eye-drops caused all the skin on her body to peel off.

But if it was not enough having your mum sat next to you for your first two weeks of lectures, Remi also started showing pictures of Marian's miracle recovery to her new teachers and friends.

"One of the lecturers asked me what I thought of the course and mum said 'let me answer'," laughed Marian.

"I said 'no, I'm the one at university' and the lecturer said 'I'm sorry, is that your mum? I thought it was your sister'.

"Then she started showing everyone the articles and pictures from the paper and they were shocked at what happened to me.

"It was a little embarrassing but I enjoyed it because I know that for me to come to university is enormous for her."

Marian, of Grange Park Road, Thornton Heath, spent 25 days in intensive care after she developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare skin condition provoked by a dose of eye-drops she took on February 14 last year.

Despite her skin effectively burning off, leaving her unable to eat or drink, she made a remarkable recovery, defying the odds to return to school and achieve two As and a B in her childcare and education A-Levels, success recognised with an award.

Marian is now a student at Roehampton University, in Wandsworth, which is a major step on the way to fulfilling her ultimate dream of becoming a primary school teacher.

While she looks an entirely different person, the pretty teenager still has to apply eye-drops ten times a day and her charred skin requires constant oiling to ensure it does not peel off.

Marian said: "It's difficult to believe how far I've come in the last year.

"When I got better the doctor said I must have a guardian angel. I feel like that's still true.

"It has made me stronger as a person and has inspired me to reach out to young people to help convince them that no matter what happens in their life they can accomplish their dreams."

Remi has no regrets about gate-crashing her daughter's first weeks of university.

"After everything that happened to her I wanted to see her in Roehampton with my own eyes," she explained.

"In her first lecture I turned to her and said 'I can't believe you are here' and she said 'neither can I'.

"Everything is working beautifully for her and I couldn't be more proud."

She begins to cry: "It doesn't seem real.

"It's always been her dream to go to university and be a teacher.

"I can't thank the doctors my friends and God enough for giving us the strength to see her realise these goals."