Former student makes £5m donation

A former student of a Cambridge college has made a £5m donation to its development fund.

Girton College described the contribution from the anonymous donor as "marvellous news".

It said the money would be used to support teaching posts and student services and to develop new facilities.

The college was established in 1869 as Cambridge's first residential college for women but began taking on male students in the late 1970s.

Professor Dame Marilyn Strathern, Mistress of Girton College, said: "Since its foundation, Girton has grown because of the thought and enthusiasm of people committed to education and the personal generosity of so many.

"The scale of this particular donation - and its commitment to our permanent endowment - enables us, quite simply, to take a long view of our objectives."

Girton is one of the largest colleges in Cambridge University with 500 undergraduate students and 200 post-graduate students.