A QUIET street on the edge of Crediton has entered the record books - as the street in the UK with the greatest number of past and present Open University (OU) students.

Research conducted by the OU has found that more than 10 per cent of the houses in Queen Elizabeth Drive, Crediton, are home to adults who are studying, or have studied with the OU - a total of 11 addresses out of the 90 in the street.

The news came to light, as part of the "Universities Week", celebrations (June 14 to 21), when the University ran a postcode check to find the place in the UK with the highest density of residents with an OU connection.

Explained Universities Week co-ordinator Shirley Jones: "More than two million people have studied with the OU since its launch which means there's probably an Open University student or alumni in every street in the land.

"As the university that comes to you it really is true that the OU is people's local university. But until now we only had anecdotal evidence that around one in 10 of the population is or has been or knows an OU student - based on the statistics.

"This is the first time we've run a search to prove it's true."

Among those studying for qualifications in Queen Elizabeth Drive is Fiona McFarlane-Day who had no idea when she moved to QE Drive four years ago that it concealed a small army of bookworms.

Currently studying her last module for a degree in psychology she said: "We were living in London and sick of it so we were seeking a complete change.

"This is the last turning off the main road out of Crediton and then there are six miles before the next town, so it is quiet.

"But I certainly wasn't aware I had so many neighbours also studying. But I'm always singing the OU's praises so it's good to know I'm surrounded by others who appear to love it too!"

Fiona's OU neighbours include a research student, a shop worker, several teachers, health workers and mums on a career break.

They also include nurse Gillian Parkhouse who studied for a health promotion certificate with the OU because: "I could work at my own pace and fit it in around the work I was doing"; Claire Davey, who hopes her OU degree will lead her into teaching – "I didn't do very well at school and had to resit my GCSEs. When I realised I wanted to return to study the OU was the best option because I couldn't study full-time"; and Lisa Clark, who is juggling work as a teacher and parent with a degree in languages to boost her career.

In total, Queen Elizabeth Drive boasts nine current OU students and three alumni who have achieved a qualification with the OU.

Added Shirley: "Universities week is about celebrating students everywhere and finding the street with the most OU students has given a chance to celebrate their success as representatives of the many thousands of others, working toward as an OU qualification in every street and avenue and cul-de-sac the length and breadth of the UK!"

To their surprise, Fiona McFarlane-Day and Gillian Parkhouse live just two doors away from each other.