A WOMAN who overcame the horrors of the Selby rail crash is hoping to follow in the footsteps of a Pop Idol.

Janine Edwards is crossing her fingers for stardom after starting at the prestigious Arts Educational School, in Chiswick.

The 23-year-old, from York, raised £9,000 to grab a place at the school, where pop star Will Young took his first tentative steps towards fame.

Janine was travelling to a college interview in London, when the GNER train in which she was travelling, collided with Gary Hart's Land Rover and derailed after hitting a freight train at Great Heck, near Selby, in February 2001.

The mental scars were harder to bear than the physical, and it took Janine many months to recover from the trauma of the crash.

Now Janine said winning a place at the school, where only 35 people are chosen out of 1,000 applications, has given her a fresh start.

Janine said: "I started on Monday. It is just amazing but very physical. It's very hard work. I managed to raise £9,750 by writing to charities and trusts and asking them to support me.

"All my time recently has been spent writing letters. It is a dream come true to get into the school.

"Words can't quite describe how wonderful it is to be here. I can't believe it myself sometimes."

Janine said getting into acting after the rail disaster gave her the confidence to pick up the pieces of her life. She has since had extra parts in Emmerdale, Fat Friends and Playing the Field.

But, despite her joy, she still needs another £16,000 to pay for another two years of study and complete the three-year course.

"I can't expect to be here for the full three years for funding reasons ,but I am hoping and praying," Janine said.

"I still need to get to £24,000. I will do everything I can to make it possible. I don't want to get into debt, but that may be the way it has to be. Getting on this course has given me fresh hope."

Updated: 08:14 Monday, October 07, 2002