Rohid Zamani: The Afghan refugee who won a place at Eton When three-year-old Rohid Zamani and his family fled Afghanistan to escape the terrors of the Taliban regime, they could only hope to reach a better place. But never in their wildest dreams could they have imagined such a spectacular outcome for their little boy. While the family have built a new life in Britain, Rohid, now 16, has defied overwhelming odds to win a full scholarship to Eton. His extraordinary story began in the city of Jalalabad, where the Zamanis lived in fear of the extremist Islamic rulers and civil unrest raging around them. Among the horrors they witnessed was a man who was decapitated because he put gel in his hair to style it. "He was dragged out in the street and they chopped his head off," said Rohid. His mother narrowly escaped death after briefly getting out of bed when a relative visited while she was ill. Rohid said: "Moments after she got up a bomb went off and shattered the windows The shards of glass fell on the bed. If my mum had been there she would have been dead. Rohid's father, who worked as a civil engineer, decided to risk everything by fleeing the country with his wife and two children. Their journey took them across 3,500 miles, including crossing rivers in Russia in a leaking rubber dinghy. Rohid said: "My mum was scared we were going to sink. The family also became separated at one point. They spoke no English when they arrived in Hull but they soon adapted and were allowed to settle in the UK. And Rohid showed his dedication to learning early on. When the family moved to Birmingham to live near friends, the children weren't happy. So Rohid, who was ten at the time, took matters into his own hands and phoned his old primary school teacher in Hull to ask if he could return. Headmaster Brian Roberts said: "I was working in my office late when I got a call from Rohid. He said: "Mr Roberts, we are really unhappy. His plan worked. The family returned to Hull and Rohid later joined the city's Sirius Academy. As well as being bright and hard-working, he excelled at rugby league and athletics. When the school suggested Rohid apply for an Eton scholarship he jumped at the chance and was among hundreds who took part in a tough four-day interview process. "Luckily I was picked so I must have done OK," he said. He starts at sixth form in September, studying A-levels in maths, biology, chemistry and physics. Rohid's father now works as a van driver - but the family won't have to pay a penny of the £30,000 annual fees and have been given a £1,500 bursary to help cover school uniform and other expenses. The teenager now knows there is no limit to what he can achieve. He hopes to become a surgeon. Commenting on the Eton life that awaits him, he said: "It's a huge step, a bit like going to university two years early. But so long as I keep busy I will be able to adapt. I will miss my family and friends but this is too big an opportunity to pass up. Mr Roberts, his old primary school head, said of his move to Eton: "It doesn't surprise me that he is going on to greater things, because he had that vision of where he was going in life." A spokesman for Eton said yesterday: "We are delighted that Rohid has been awarded one of the sixth form scholarships we offer at Eton. He is obviously an extraordinary young man and will undoubtedly make the most of all the opportunities that Eton offers.