A LEEK college student is hoping to become the next Teen Queen UK.

After being scouted for the national beauty contest, Lucinda Mellor has made it through to this month's semi-finals. Her photo is on the contest's website and she is hoping people will vote her through to the final.

If Lucinda, aged 16, is successful, she will be travelling down to London for the national pageant of Teen Queen UK, the winner of which will then go on to represent the United Kingdom in the Miss International contest.

Lucinda admits she'd never really thought about entering a beauty contest until she was spotted by a Teen Queen UK representative at Birmingham's NEC Clothes Show in December where she'd gone with mum Michelle and two other family members.

Lucinda said: "I had never heard of Teen Queen before and I was quite shocked when I was approached, but then I was quite excited."

Mum Michelle, who is a community nurse, said: "People had often said to me that Lucinda could be a model but she had never really taken any notice of the comments before. It gave us quite a buzz when she was approached at the Clothes Show."

Lucinda had her photograph taken and contact details taken and a few weeks later she was contacted and told she had made it through to the next stage. She was then invited to a professional photo shoot in London.

Now her photo is on the contest website and visitors are being urged to vote for their favourite contestant.

But as well as drumming up support for the beauty contest, Lucinda is busy studying for her GCSEs. She said: "I am still focusing on my exams and I am sticking to my revision sessions."

Even if Lucinda does well in the beauty contest, she plans to keep her feet firmly on the ground and continue into A-Levels. Her aspirations include fashion or travel journalism.

Lucinda, who lives on Orchid Court, Leek, has always held a passion for fashion - but making it rather than hunting around in the shops for it.

Lucinda is often be found sat at her sewing machine, putting her own touch and flair to clothes. Her other hobbies include street dancing, hockey and netball and she works part-time at the Dyers Arms.

Lucinda not only has the support of her friends and family in this country but her elder sister, 18-year-old Natasha, is currently travelling and working around Australia and is campaigning for votes among friends and colleagues Down Under.

On Monday, Lucinda was in eleventh place out of 50 with 154 votes. However, Michelle believes that if the people of Leek got behind her daughter then she would be in with a good chance of getting through to the London finals.

Michelle added: "I just think it would be so nice to have someone from Leek win this competition, or at least represent the town at the finals in London. I think if every household in Leek voted for Lucinda, she would have a good chance.

"In any mum's eyes, your own daughter is the golden girl. But I know Lucinda's personality and this has not gone to her head.

"She's just taken it in her stride and is still very dedicated to her studies."

Lucinda said: "Now that I have got this far it's just like a dream and I would now like to win."

Votes must be cast before the closing date of June 30.