‘Legally blonde’ beautician starts law school but without the lapdog

A beautician from Essex who won a High Court battle against one of the country's biggest property developers started law school today after winning a £10,000 scholarship.

Georgina Blackwell, 24, represented her mother against Bellway Homes in a dispute about access to their garden.

After her court success she was offered a scholarship to study at private university BPP Law School in Holborn, taking her one step closer to becoming a barrister.

Miss Blackwell, of Colchester, said: "It's a dream come true for me. It was something I wanted to do when I was younger but I had completely given up on it.

"I was invited to the premiere of Legally Blonde in the West End and it made me laugh because on the character's first day she turns up all dressed in pink with her little dog; I won't be making that mistake."

Miss Blackwell had been forced to turn down a place to study law at Kingston University when her mother, Sandra, 52, broke her wrist and could not work in the grade II-listed family salon, The House of Beauty, in Halstead.

Then the salon came under threat in a dispute with Bellway Homes, which was building homes on a neighbouring plot of land.

Her mother had lost her original case against Bellway in a row over access across her garden. However, after checking deeds and rights of access Miss Blackwell believed the builder had gone too far in demolishing two walls.

Mr Justice Proudman agreed in November last year, overturning the first decision and ordering Bellway to pay £75,000 in compensation.