Beauty queen to fly flag for South Tyneside at Miss Teen England competition

Last year, Olivia was named Miss Teen South Tyneside Galaxy.

In March she will compete for the title of Miss Teen England.

Should she win, Olivia, 17, of Bamburgh Grove, Jarrow, will jet to the US to take part in a global final.

Although hoping for further success, she insists those who take part in such events have more to offer than just good looks.

For Olivia, this already extends to charitable work and to work to bring people in communities closer together.

She collects donations for Hebburn Helps food bank, and also takes part in community events.

Olivia, an apprentice teaching assistant at Ridgeway Primary Academy in South Shields, said: “Taking part is as much about personality as looks.

“Being involved in charity work is also an important part of it.

“Being able to show that you are heavily involved in something, certainly helps.”

She added: “These competitions are really good for developing social skills and for meeting people in many places.

“It also involves taking part in an interview, and you have to commit to doing appearances, so it is about much more than just how you look.

“I’d like to break the pageant stigma and raise awareness that those who take part do a lot of charity work and are outgoing characters.”

Former Jarrow School pupil Olivia was inspired to take part in pageants at the suggestion of friends.

The Miss Teen South Tyneside Galaxy event, which was part of the Pageant Girl company’s portfolio, was her first competition.

Despite being a novice, she is confident of success in Miss Teen England, which is being help in Chorley, Lancashire.

Olivia added: “I will give it my best go, and I see no reason why I shouldn’t do well.”