A 19-year-old beauty queen and proud owner of the Miss Teen South London sash is gearing up to represent her hometown in the finals of Miss Teen Great Britain.

Emma Smith, who lives near Wimbledon Park in Southfields, said she has found solace in modelling after years of bullying, anxiety and low confidence.

She said: "Personally, I didn't enjoy my five years at school as I got verbally bullied and mocked by pupils and got treated differently by the teachers.

"I found it extremely hard to express myself properly and I had anxiety and difficulty socialising."

Her interest in beauty pageants was sparked aged 13 when she started doing photo shoot courses with 'We Are Photogirls' - a London-based organisation that aims to engage young girls through fashion.

Her self-esteem also rose when she joined Kingston College in Surrey and studied performance and musical theatre, playing lead roles in productions of Chicago and We Will Rock You.

She said: "The reason I love beauty pageants is because when I set foot on stage I suddenly gain all of my confidence.

"Being part of a pageant makes me feel very glamorous and special."

In preparation for the national beauty contest final in October, Miss Smith is fundraising for Together for Short Lives, a charity that supports people with life-threatening illnesses.

She said: "Winning Miss Teen GB 2015 would mean an awful lot to me as I would finally be able to believe in myself.

"It has taken me years to finally decide what I want to do in the future.

"In September I am going back to college to study for a diploma in legal secretarial studies, which I hope will lead to a job.

"Hopefully taking part in Miss Teen GB will also help me on my way to a part time modelling career."

The Miss Teen GB grand final is taking place at The Globe in Blackpool on October 26 and 27.