date_default_timezone_set('Europe/London');
    $dtime =  date('d/m/Y H:i');

    $user = 'root';
    $password = '';
    $db = new PDO('mysql:host=localhost;dbname=login', $user, $password );


    if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') {
      $form = $_POST;
      $fname = $form['fname'];
      $sname = $form['sname'];
      $dob = $form['dob'];
      $email = $form['email'];
      $role = $form['role'];
      $location = $form['location'];
      $why = $form['why'];
      $rpexp = $form['rpexp'];
      $pastrp = $form['pastrp'];
      $tandc = $form['tandc'];
      $status = '0';

      //make sure user has accepted terms and conditions
      if ($tandc == '1') {
        //make sure email is valid
              if (filter_var($email, FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
              //prepare statements
              $stmt = $db->prepare("INSERT INTO applications (`fname`, `sname`, `dob`, `email`, `role`, `location`, `why`, `rpexp`, `pastrp`, `status`, `dofsubmission`)
                                    VALUES (:fname, :sname, :dob, :email, :role, :location, :why, :rpexp, :pastrp, :status, :dtime)");

              //insert blind paramaters
              $stmt->bindParam(':fname', $fname, $db::PARAM_STR);
              $stmt->bindParam(':sname', $sname, $db::PARAM_STR);
              $stmt->bindParam(':dob', $dob, $db::PARAM_STR);
              $stmt->bindParam(':email', $email, $db::PARAM_STR);
              $stmt->bindParam(':role', $role, $db::PARAM_STR);
              $stmt->bindParam(':location', $location, $db::PARAM_STR);
              $stmt->bindParam(':why', $why, $db::PARAM_STR);
              $stmt->bindParam(':rpexp', $rpexp, $db::PARAM_STR);
              $stmt->bindParam(':pastrp', $pastrp, $db::PARAM_STR);
              $stmt->bindParam(':status', $status, $db::PARAM_STR);
              $stmt->bindParam(':dtime', $dtime, $db::PARAM_STR);