AMBITIOUS hospitality students gave up their festive holidays for the chance to work at the prestigious Gleneagles Hotel.

The 25 students from City of Glasgow College were offered the chance to prove their skills over Christmas and Hogmanay.

And those who impressed the five star hotel's bosses will be given the chance to return for next September's Ryder Cup.

Gordon McIntyre, head of the hospitality department at City of Glasgow College, said: "Students who star in these roles are often placed at the hotel in summer, and The Ryder Cup is up there with the Olympics in terms of TV viewing popularity.

"If our students want to shine, next year is the year to do it, with openings within the hospitality industry proving particularly high-profile because of the Ryder Cup and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

"Although it means being away from home at Christmas, this is a fantastic opportunity for our ambitious and talented hospitality students."

City of Glasgow College has had a working relationship with Gleneagles Hotel for four years and is the only college to provide seasonal staff to the five-star luxury resort.

Students undertake a range of roles from housekeeping and waiting tables to acting as runners on the floors of both the fine dining Strathearn restaurant and the informal dining Deseo restaurant.

Vicky Podgurskyy, from Barrhead, is in her second year of studying an HND in event management worked as a waitress at Gleneagles.

The 19-year-old said: "Of course I missed my family, especially when I saw people celebrating Christmas and New Year with their families at the hotel.

"But, it's all worth it because you're working towards your goal in life."