A LOCKWOOD woman is the first in Yorkshire to pass a new computer course run by the Youth Hostels Association.

Heather Butler, 56, won a European Computer Driving Licence - an internationally- recognised qualification - after completing a CD-ROM based course, funded by the Youth Hostels Association and the European Social Fund.

The flexibility of the course allowed Mrs Butler to study on her own computer at home in preparation for tests she took at youth hostels in Mankinholes, near Todmorden, and Haworth.

Mrs Butler said: "It took me a lot of hard work to go through the course at home, but it was certainly worthwhile as the qualification is valued by employers.

"Apart from hard work, the experience was fun and worthwhile.

"If an advanced course is offered I would appreciate the chance to further my computing skills."

Mrs Butler is a customer service clerk at Brook Crompton, St Andrew's Road, Huddersfield, where she has worked for 28 years.

She read about the free course in the Examiner's Weekly News.

"I thought I knew quite a bit already because I have been dealing with computers at home and at work for a long time," she said.

"But I found that I didn't know as much as I thought I did."

To qualify, Mrs Butler spent two hours a day working on the course from January to April.

The course has enabled Mrs Butler to provide a better service to customers at the firm, who deal with suppliers all over the world.

Funding for the course has now expired but the YHA is hoping to obtain more grants to stage courses again.