A THURROCK student has been crowned a national pageant crown winner – and rewarded for her efforts for charity too.

Courtney-Lee Collins, 20, from South Ockendon travelled to Warrington last weekend to take part in the Pure International Miss United Kingdom Sweetheart section of a major UK event and came away a winner.

She was also crowned a Charity Queen for her efforts in raising more than £1,500 for the Salvation Army through local events.

Courtney-Lee, a former student at Ockendon Academy, is currently studying for a law degree and the weekend event was her first competitive involvement with a pageant for 18 months, though she has run her own own charity pageants.

She says: "I decided only to compete for the Sweetheart title (the UK crown) as unfortunately being in the middle of a law degree it just wasn't the right time for me to visit America, so I wanted to choose to compete for a title that I felt I could give 100 per cent attention and effort to and do my best for the crown.

"All I can say is that it was genuinely the most fun I have had in pageant land!

"I met so many amazing people and managed to see so many of my friends from pageants past who I haven't seen in a long time! Every single contestant was absolutely amazing and I would have hated to be a judge as I honestly don't think I could have called who the winners would be!

"As for me... I can't believe I'm saying this but... I am your Pure International Miss United Kingdom Sweetheart 2020!"

Pure International Pageants are an American pageant organisation their second year of operation in the UK. Pure is run by Pat Miller and her daughter Amber with the UK system being run by Matt Trayford and Jayne Harris, with American judges and queens flying in from the states for the weekend's event.

Courtney-Lee, who is a local radio presenter and former columnist with the Thurrock Independent, added: "A big thank you to my mum and dad for taking me all the way to Warrington from Essex and for supporting me the whole way through my time as a finalist, I wouldn't have been able to do any of it without you.

"I would like to thank Jayne and Matt for the amazing experience.

"Thanks also to Abigail Emma Stroud-Mort for my wonderful make-up."

Courtney-Lee is a passionate advocate for pageants and is happy to share her experiences with anyone thinking about taking part in one. She can be contacted by email at [email protected].

You can find out more about Pure International Pageants via the red button link below.