A young Gants Hill salon apprentice beat 20 fellow hairdressers to scoop a company award for her striking artistic talent.

Stephanie Burrow, 18, represented the Uppercut salon, in Cranbrook Road, in an annual event that sees trainees from six Redbridge salons take part in a challenge to make over a model to a specific theme.

This year’s theme was Cirque Du Soleil and managers from all six salons decided Stephanie’s “Cirque du Frog” creation was the most striking.

Stephanie said: “I was a runner-up last year.

“I worked for months on the creation and I’m so happy my hard work has paid off.”

Manageress Lauren Paton said: “We are all so proud of Steph. She worked really hard and deserved to win.

“She even cut her own extensions out of her hair to add to her creation.”