BLUE will be the colour for an autistic student set to be presented with a top award from his college at Blenheim Palace.

Ben Lindsay will pick up one of the coveted Student of the Year awards from Abingdon and Witney College and will collect his prize at a ceremony tonight.

Ben is looking forward to wearing a waistcoat and tie in his favourite colour blue at the ceremony which will be attended by his mum Lisa and brother Matthew.

He will be joined by students from all the college’s subject areas to receive their awards at the palace.

Ms Lindsay is bursting with pride for her 19-year-old son, who has had to move home with her from Bicester to attend a three-year Pathways Course at the MacIntyre Abingdon Partnership College.

She said despite the move, Ben had got results in 18 different exams – including GCSEs in English, maths, ICT and hospitality – and wanted to show how much people with educational needs could achieve.

She said: “He has done a lot of growing up in the last year. He has really come along since we moved.”

The 46-year-old is Ben’s full-time carer as he is autistic and nearly blind in one eye.

“I have had to bring him up on my own,” she said.

“We have had our difficulties but I am so proud of him.”