Formby woman needs your votes to make it to the Miss England final

Jan 26 2011 by Gemma Jaleel, Formby Times

Formby woman needs your votes to make it to the Miss England final

A FORMBY girl has reached the quarter-finals in the search for the face of Miss England 2011.

Sales assistant Claire Carmichael, 22, wants the people of Sefton to get behind her and show their support by voting her through to the semi-finals.

Claire told the Times: “This is the first time I’ve done anything like this.

“My sister saw an advertisement for it and persuaded me to enter.

“I applied for Britain’s Next Top Model last year, but I’m two inches to small, so I’m hoping this is a stepping stone into modelling.”

Claire grew up in Crosby and went to St Nicholas Primary School.

She then moved to Formby and later attended Range High School.

Now the aspiring model has been selected as one of the 18 finalists for the Miss Fresh Photographic competition which is being held by the Miss England organisers.

Claire, who works at Marks and Spencer’s in Aintree, said: “I studied dance, performing arts and musical theatre at Southport College. I was really surprised after I sent my application off to get an email back saying that I had been short-listed in the photographic heats.

“I went down to London with my mum Helen and had my entry shot and photos for my portfolio taken and then earlier this month I received an email saying I had got down the last 18 of my heat.”

Now Claire is hoping to win the title of Miss Fresh Photographic and prizes worth over £500 including a place in the Miss England semi-final next June at Champneys Springs in Leicestershire.

Every year, Miss England is selected for the finals of Miss World which has a first prize of $100,000.