A STAR student from Stroud and South Gloucestershire College is made-up about winning the final of a prestigious national skills competition.

Talented Katie Hadley, 19, won first place in the WorldSkills UK final for advanced media make-up, with her amazing butterfly queen creation.

The eye-catching design, which was inspired by a hallucinations theme, wowed judges who awarded the young make-up artist gold at the competition, held at the NEC in Birmingham on November 15.

Kate qualified for the finals of the event after winning a regional heat in May with her vivid interpretation of the wicked witch from The Wizard of OZ.

In the finals, she had just four hours to complete her costume, which had to include the use of two prosthetics and a bald cap.

Along with fellow competitors, she was marked on health and safety, presentation, application, technique and the dramatic impact of the finished piece.

“I put a lot of time and effort into competing and was very lucky to receive such huge support from my college, friends and family,” said Katie, who lives in Cheltenham but travels to Stroud to study.

“Overall the experience has strengthened me as a make-up artist and made me even more determined to succeed.”

Katie’s tutor at SGS Sarah Jordan, who encouraged her to enter the competition, said: “I couldn’t be happier with the results, Katie worked very hard on the competition and supporting her was a joy.

“She has great attention to detail and her completed costume made her the star of the show.”

“This is only the beginning for Katie,” she added. “She is sure to go on and do great things.”

For more information about make-up artistry courses at SGS College visit: www.sgscol.ac.uk