Miss West Sussex hopes to crack the world of modelling

A WORTHING model is hoping to be crowned Miss Galaxy England when she represents West Sussex at the nationwide competition next year.

Amy Hart, of Hillside Avenue, may be new to the world of pageanting but she is already making a big impression.

The 21-year-old air hostess was snapped up as the face of Wombat Leather, an online company that specialises in Australian-inspired leather bush hats and leather bags, earlier this year.

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She was also picked from 25,000 staff members to be the face of British Airways for a feature in the Sunday Times Magazine.

Now Amy, who is the daughter of funeral director Ian Hart, is hoping to go a stage further after being crowned Miss West Sussex.

She said: “I was really shocked to be given the title of Miss West Sussex.

“Miss Galaxy is Britain’s most up-and-coming event and from Miss England there is the possibility of becoming Miss Galaxy UK.

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“They open up the competition and you have to send in four pictures, two natural, two posed.

“I have had a couple of photoshoots done in the past so I sent them plus a selfie and one of me at a Christmas ball.

“It was difficult choosing what to send, but in the end I went for the four that my friends and family liked the most.”

Amy will now compete against 45 other finalists at the pageant finals in Lancashire in March.

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She said: “I have to walk on catwalk in front of 1,000 people and there are four sections to the competition – fashion wear, evening wear, bikinis and then an interview round.

“I would like to think that I have a chance of winning but you never know. I am just hoping that I do not fall over in front of all those people.

“On the day I have to report at 7am although the pageant does not start until 7.30pm, so the whole day will be rehearsing and photoshoots.

“I will I will be nervous about every part of it. If I was to win there is a grand world final in Orlando which would be all expenses paid and a large amount of prize money for the winner which would be amazing.”

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Amy, a former Thomas A Becket and Worthing High School pupil, said her confidence had been helped by her music and dancing background.

She said: “I have been part of Worthing Musical Comedy Society ever since I was eight and it has really helped me.

“When I do my musicals I am fine. I am used to it because I have danced since I was three, but the pageant world is totally different and is very new to me.

“My parents and a group of friends are coming up to Lancaster to support me so it will be good to have their support.”

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Amy was inspired to get involved in modelling after her hairdresser convinced her to have some shots done.

“The photos came out really well and I got more than 70 offers within four days on the back of the shots,” she said.

“But then I took a year out as I totally lost my confidence.

“I took to hiding behind my hair extensions until the competition for Wombat Leather came up and all my friends were telling me to enter it.

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I got more than 200 likes on the Facebook website in an hour which made me think that I might stand a chance.

“When I won I had to phone the company to say that since the pictures were taken I had removed my hair extensions, which were waist length, just to check that they still wanted me for their 
company.

“She told me that it would be much better without the extensions and I finally realised that I looked okay without them.

“I told the PR lady that I wished I could get my picture taken every day and she told me that it was possible but I would have to put myself out there. That boosted my confidence a little bit.”

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Amy said that one of her idols was Amy Childs, of ITV2’s The Only Way is Essex fame.

She said: “I like the kind of look of the girls on the 
show although if I walked around Worthing with three spray tans I might get a few looks.

“I do not have an in-between with regard to how I look, I am either in full makeup with my hair done or I am in my onesie with no makeup on and with my hair in a bun.

“For work, I also have to look immaculate all the time ,so when I am at home 
I do not want to.

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“But from January 1, I will be starting Herbalife, going to the gym and not drinking.

“I want to get really healthy and get my skin nice and get more toned before my bikini section.

“Because I go to America with my job a lot and pageanting over there is a really big deal, I am going to go for lessons.

“I have a personal trainer that I work with back home so I will be looking to step it up again after Christmas.

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“This is a big opportunity for me and I would love to do it full-time because I really enjoy the whole photoshoot thing.”

Amy also wants to use 
her success to get involved with charities and good causes around Worthing.

“Having the title of Miss Sussex is great but there is no point if I am not helping others,” she said.

“My dad is patron of so many charities but I do not like to use him.

“I want to do things on my own and have wanted to do charity work for quite a while.

“I am planning to go part-time at work so that I have more time to get involved in events.”