A FATHER whose son drowned ten years ago has paid tribute to an award in his memory which has helped nine Cherwell School pupils into careers in medicine.

Hassan Hussain had always dreamt of becoming a doctor before he drowned, aged just 15, while playing with friends in University Parks a decade ago last Thursday.

The accident occurred when he got into trouble in the River Thames on a Sunday afternoon.

His father Bashir Hussain set up the Hassan Hussain Award to provide a bursaries to hard-working Cherwell pupils wanting to follow his son's dream.

On the tenth anniversary of his death the school revealed all nine winners of the annual award had progressed into the world of medicine.

Mr Hussain, who lives in Marston, said: "When we set up the award we wanted to do something to try to ensure Hassan was remembered but also something that could have a positive effect on the science that Hassan loved so much.

"I am amazed at the award's impact, I think it's brilliant.

"It has been wonderful to hear what the award has meant to these students and how it has had such a positive impact on their lives and careers."

The previous winners of the award, which is handed out in November every year, are at various stages on the long road to becoming qualified as a doctor but all contributed to school newsletter expressing how grateful they were.

The first winner, Sam Rogers, was in the same school year as Hassan and has since completed a degree at Oxford University, worked as an intern at the Churchill Hospital and has now finished his first year studying medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London.

He said: "I think a lot of state school applicants, myself included, find it quite daunting applying to Oxbridge and the award gave me the confidence to do so, for which I am forever grateful.

"I didn't have the fortune of being one of Hassan's closest friends but I knew him well enough to know he was a very kind and intelligent guy, and so was personally honoured to receive the award in his name."

The 2011 winner Yasmine Young, who starts at Barts and the London School of Medicine in Dentistry in September after completing a degree at Cambridge, said the backing of Hassan's family has spurred her on.

She said: "Receiving the award made me feel that the school and Hassan's family believed in me, which meant a lot.

"I accepted and now, after much blood, sweat and tears I am halfway through medical school."