Beauty queen is aiming for Miss Preston title

Katie-Jayne Brady, 14, won a spot in the final of Miss Junior Preston ahead of 500 other hopefuls.

The teenager, who lives on the Fylde coast, impressed the expert judging panel with her fund-raising work for children’s charity Variety, which helps disabled youngsters fulfil their potential by providing them with wheelchairs and mobility aids.

She said: “The reason I wanted to be in it was to make friends with people who like the same things, build confidence and help raise money and awareness for my charities.

“I’ve been singing at restaurants on Saturday nights to raise money. I’m thinking of doing a cake sale at school and a car wash service as well. I’ve raised £300 in a week.”

Katie-Jayne will be called to a one-to-one interview with the judging panel later this month, before taking to the stage in a catwalk, where contestants will show off formal dresses, party clothes, sportswear and home-made historical costumes ranging from Victorian ballgowns to the leotards and leg warmers of the 1980s.

Her mum Andrea, 47, said: “I didn’t even know about it until Katie came downstairs one day and she said ‘I’ve applied for Junior Miss Preston’. She’s a determined girl and if she decides she’s going to do something she sees it through.

“She just put her name down probably thinking she wouldn’t hear anything back, so when we got the note saying she was in the final she was so happy. She was jumping up and down.”