An 18-year-old mum is vying to be crowned Miss Teen Great Britain next year after getting her first pageant break.

Emma-Louise Parris, of Burrow Road, Chigwell, has studied footage of previous global competition on the internet for years, but next October she will get her first opportunity to appear in her first pageant in Blackpool.

“I practice my posture all the time,” she said, speaking from her mum Sarah’s home. “I just stand up tall and make sure my head is back straight.

“I first found out about beauty pageants on the television and I would watch shows on the internet - this is my first proper pageant.

“I am so excited to have made it this far – it is a great achievement.

“Hopefully it will open new doors to me. I have always wanted to do something like this.”

Miss Parris has a 10-month-old baby called Imogen with her carpet fitter boyfriend Bradley Hopkins, 21.

“It helps a lot having Bradley around,” she added. “It means I can do these different shows and if I want to rant about something he is always there to listen.”

Miss Parris’ boyfriend of six years will make the trip up to Blackpool for the final to support his girlfriend.

Miss Parris lost her father in an accident in 2012.

“It was quite sudden,” she said. “My dad would have been very proud of me because when he was alive I was doing modelling competitions and he would do the text voting and share the link the on Facebook.”

Should Miss Parris scoop the gong she will receive £1000 in prize money.

The beauty therapy student said she hopes to travel the world competing in different competitions if she is crowned Miss Teen Great Britain.

Miss Parris, a former King Solomon High School pupil, prepares for competition herself using skills she has learnt at college in Romford.

But she will receive some tips on how to impress the panel judges the night before the competition.