THEY were dubbed Britain’s brainiest twins after doing equally well at a Hampshire seat of learning.

New Forest students Hannah and Emmal Safi, 21, both graduated with first-class honours after doing the same course at the University of Portsmouth.

Now a third member of the family has also achieved academic excellence.

Cathum Safi, 19, has emulated his sisters by going to the same university and graduating with a first-class honours degree in biomedical science.

He was only 16 when he began the course and was surrounded by students who were several years older.

Like Hannah and Emmal he had been taught at home by his parents, Pam and Sab. However, unlike them he had never been to school or college, making his achievement all the more remarkable.

Cathum decided to study biomedical science after discovering he was too young to apply for other courses.

Speaking from his home at Ashurst in the New Forest he said: "My goal had always been to study medicine.

"I'd never had lessons or lectures so university was a challenging environment to adapt to, but I managed to integrate well.

"Most of the other people there were 20-21. My personal tutor said I was the youngest person he had ever seen on the course."

Cathum, who wants to become a doctor, said his main interests included neuroscience, human physiology and immunology.

During his degree course he completed placements in the A&E department at Southampton General Hospital and the pathology department at the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham.

His mother said: "Cathum went to the same university as Hannah ad Emmal but was only 16 - the youngest ever to take on a biomedical science degree. His first-class honours degree is quite an achievement considering his age.

As reported in the Daily Echo, Hannah and Emmal were born in Newcastle but the family moved to Hampshire several years ago.

The twins went to Brockenhurst College, where they sat A-levels in chemistry and physics, before heading off to university.

They finally went their separate ways in 2014, when Hannah went off to study biosciences at University College, London, and Emmal embarked on a astrophysics degree at Keele University.