The daughter of the BBC sports presenter Helen Rollason, who died of cancer earlier this month, has achieved 11 GCSEs - 10 of them with A* and A grades.

Ms Rollason, 43, had wanted to live long enough to see daughter Nikki get her results, but she died two weeks before they were released following a two-year public battle against the disease.

Nikki, 16, collected her results early on Thursday at Chelmsford Girls High School in Essex, and went home to open them.

Later, her father issued a statement on behalf of the family, saying that Nikki had received six top A* grades, four A grades and one B grade.

'Her mother would be proud'

He said the family was "extremely pleased for her", and added "I know that her mother would be proud of her."

Nikki with her father John at Helen's memorial service

The statement said Nikki wanted to thank the staff and pupils at her school "for all their support and encouragement".

Head teacher Monica Curtis said the school was "very proud of her working so hard under the most difficult circumstances.

"Nikki has shown tremendous courage. She has an excellent basis now for her A level studies."

She said Nikki now planned to go on to the school's sixth form.

Ms Rollason, who was the first woman to present BBC Sport's flagship Grandstand programme, was diagnosed with cancer of the liver and colon in 1997.

Although given only a few months to live, she astonished doctors with her lengthy battle against the disease.

She also continued to work, most recently on the Six O'Clock News, and went to Buckingham Palace in a wheelchair to collect her MBE last month.

Before her death, Ms Rollason helped to raise �5m for a care clinic at the hospital where she was treated.