An actress, writer, comedian and former student of Barking and Dagenham College (BDC) has got behind a national campaign promoting post-16 colleges.

The Love Our Colleges campaign aims make sure education funding takes colleges into account and that the UK economy has the skills it needs in the future.

Andi Osho has appeared in Eastenders, Holby City and Shazam. In a video supporting the effort, she said about further education: [It's] such a great thing to do.

"It's more than just about the subjects you study, it's about getting an education in terms of life, and it's a really nurturing, safe environment to do that."

Students in the UK often receive less teaching time and support than in other countries. An independent 2016 report to the government on technical education showed underfunding means students in the UK get 8 hours less than their counterparts in Norway.

And between 2010 and 2018, colleges across the UK lost 30 per cent of their government funding.