STROUD teenager Evie Tunnicliffe is hoping 2011 will be her year to shine after making it through to the final stages of a UK-wide youth beauty pageant.

Thomas Keble School pupil Evie, 14, is currently fourth out of 50 girls in the semi-final of this year’s Teen Princess UK event – an online competition for aspiring models aged 13 to 15-years-old.

She first became involved in the contest while enjoying the sights and sounds of the Britain’s Next Top Model Live event at London’s ExCel Centre in October.

Evie, who lives in Thrupp, was thrilled to attend the exhibition after her grandmother, Eve Hollis, won tickets to the show in a competition organised by the SNJ.

It was during a browse of trade stands that she was persuaded to pose for a Teen Princess photo-shoot, after which her snaps were immediately put through to the first round of the contest out of more than 9,000 girls who entered.

Later she was selected to return to London for a professional photo-shoot and so far her glamorous snaps have racked up more than 860 votes on the competition page of the Teen Princess UK website.

Her mum Julie said the whole family was ‘chuffed to bits’ for her.

"Evie is absolutely over the moon to have come this far," she said.

"She has been so taken back by the experience and it has given her a great confidence boost.

"If she were to get through to the final it would just be fantastic for her."

Voting ends at 11.30pm on Saturday, January 15, with the two top girls heading off to the live finals in London in August.

For details of how to vote for Evie, visit the Teen Princess heats section of the competition website www.missteenqueenuk.com