WHEN Sam Bates enrolled on a course to help her become a social worker she excitedly started to plan a new life for her family.But tragically, the inspirational mother-of-four's dream of moving from Great Yarmouth to the Isle of Wight, and helping children in trouble, was cut chort when she suffered a fatal heart attack.

WHEN Sam Bates enrolled on a course to help her become a social worker she excitedly started to plan a new life for her family.

But tragically, the inspirational mother-of-four's dream of moving from Great Yarmouth to the Isle of Wight, and helping children in trouble, was cut chort when she suffered a fatal heart attack.

Mrs Bates died on May 8, just as she was due to be completing her year-long adult's fast track passport to higher education course at Yarmouth College.

The 26-year-old had been hospitalised at the tail end of last year with osteopororis. But she used a wheelchair to continue going to the college to try and complete her course so she could go on a placement with social services on the Isle of Wight.

Mrs Bates was due to move in the new year from her home in School Corner, Bradwell, with her husband, Steven, and her four children, Tyler, seven, Ashleigh, five, Jordan, two and McKenzie, aged one.

In reocognition of Mrs Bates' determination to carry on attending her course her family has been given a posthumous Access to High Education award by the college.

Rachel Moore, Yarmouth College spokeswoman, said Mrs Bates was given the posthumous Access to Higher education award because she had thrown herself into her course from the start and was full of ideas and opinions.

Mr Bates, 29 and who had been married to his wife for 18 months, said: “Before I knew Sam she had an abusive upbringing and she wanted to use her experiences to help others because she understood the problems involved.

“She really wanted to become a social worker and she would have been good at it.

“She was very inspirational. She showed it did not matter what setbacks you have you should try to achieve your dreams.”

Mr Bates, who had two children, Jordan and Mckenzie, with his wife, said that he now hoped to set up a bodywork garage in Yarmouth.

He met his wife in 2007 after she moved from Northampton. She suffered bloodclots after the birth of her two youngest children.

Mr Bates thankedthe staff of Moorlands School Primary School in Belton for helping Tyler and Ashleigh cope with their mother's death.