A modelling contract and a trip to America will be on the line when an Ashtead woman represents Surrey in the 2015 Miss British Universe pageant this weekend.

Anna Wolsey, of Corfe Close, Ashtead, will compete against regional winners from across the country at the Mercure London hotel in Watford on Saturday, August 29.

And if she wins the grand prize, the 21-year-old Colliers Wood New Look worker will be presented with a modelling deal and whisked off to Los Angeles for modelling and promotion work.

Surrey Comet: Miss British Empire Competition

Anna Wolsey trying on dresses ahead of Saturday’s Miss British Empire final

Miss Wolsey said: "It would be amazing to win and go to America - I’ve only been once before and not to LA.

"It would be a dream to go out there and be able to model at the same time.

"It’s really exciting but I am quite a bit nervous! It’s my first pageant but I’m sure it’ll be a lot of fun.

Even though this will be her first taste of the pageant circuit, having applied to be Miss Surrey on a whim, she says she’s thoroughly enjoying everything that comes with it.

She said: "People have this perception of beauty pageants as being very catty things, where everyone’s out to get each other.

"But the reality is that everyone’s really friendly, really supportive.

"It sounds silly but it really is like we’re all part of a little family at Miss British Empire."

She said the chance to meet interesting people was one of the reasons she applied at the start of the year, and it’s been such fun that - if she comes first on Saturday - she would certainly consider going on to compete for a Miss World title.

Another common misconception about beauty pageants, she says, is that they aren’t all about appearances.

On the night itself there will be a swimwear round and an eveningwear round, in which contestants are asked how they would use the title of Miss British Empire to change the world.

She said: "Lots of people this it’s all about appearance - and I think Miss England is like that - but this pageant’s also about inner beauty, and your interests outside of modelling.

"That’s one of the things that attracted me to the competition. You have to be intelligent, and be able to talk about a range of topics.

"I would definitely use the platform of Miss British Empire to raise awareness of the issues facing young people like myself today."