A North barmaid and waitress who has never modeled in her life is through to the final of the region’s biggest ever beauty pageant.
Hannah Mackay, 18, from Alnwick in Northumberland, had never posed for the cameras before until a shoot with the Sunday Sun for this piece.
Yet she is one of 40 girls from across the region selected from over 100 for the final of Miss North East GB, which could see her go forward to take part in the national event.
Despite being a novice, Hannah is hoping the pageant could act as a springboard to a career in modelling.
She stayed on at the high school’s sixth form but left after completing her AS levels.
Hannah works as a barmaid at The Plough and waitress at The Jolly Fisherman in Craster.
She has ambitions of going into business management, in hospitality, or becoming a model.
Hannah decided to apply for Miss North East GB after being told she should model: “It was kind of like a spontaneous moment decision.”
She was thrilled to be informed she had made it through to the final, from a field of over 100 girls from across the North East.
Hannah was one of ten finalists chosen for the Miss Newcastle contest, while other girls will battle it out to be Miss Sunderland, Miss Durham and Miss Teesside.
The final will take place on July 17 at Wynyard Hall near Billingham in Cleveland with the theme of Hollywood Icons, with girls encouraged to take inspiration from the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn.
Winners will be announced for each area. There will also be a prize given to the girl from each area who raises the money most for the pageant’s chosen charity, Global’s Make Some Noise, which helps disadvantaged children. Hannah is hoping to hold a raffle night at The Plough.
All area winners will go forward to compete in Miss GB later in the year.
Looking ahead, Hannah said: “I am excited but nervous, I can not wait to meet all the girls as well. They all seem really nice.
“I have never done anything like this before, that is why I entered this competition.”
Even if she does not win, Hannah hopes the event could open doors for her in the modelling world and plans to build up a portfolio to take to an agency.
Event organiser Simon Robertson said: “I think Hannah is one of the girls that really impressed. She was very enthusiastic, a lovely girl inside which is what it is all about, I loved her story.
“She has done a lot for charity as well.”