Kickboxing beauty queen loses two stone to become Miss England finalist
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A beauty queen will go from the catwalk to the boxing ring as she competes in the Miss England final this month before representing Great Britain at the World Kickboxing Championships.
Chelsie Griffin, 21, only took up kick-boxing last year to lose weight and get fit. She is now a yellow belt and will compete in the world champs this August.
Before she enters the ring, she will take part in the Miss England final after winning the Miss Rugby title earlier this year.
Packing a punch: Chelsie will compete in the Miss England finals followed by the kickboxing world champs
Chelsie said her position in the beauty pageant is all thanks to the confidence boost kickboxing has given her - and the positive effect it has had on her figure and fitness.
Since taking up the sport, she has lost two stone and dropped three dress sizes so she is now a svelte size 10.
Weight battle: Chelsie has lost two stone, left, after taking up kickboxing
She said: 'Not only has kickboxing helped me to lose weight and get fit, it has massively helped my confidence too. As a larger girl I was miserable and lacked a lot of confidence but now I feel like I can achieve anything if I set my mind to it and I am really excited about taking to the stage at Miss England at the end of June.'
Chelsie added: 'Even if I don’t win the whole experience has been amazing. Not only have I made some great friends but I have increased my confidence, self-esteem, ability to speak in public and overall poise, posture and grace. I would recommend it to anyone.'
Chelsie will battle it out for the coveted Miss England crown with 60 other regional winners from across England in a four-day competition taking place in Birmingham on 23 June, before moving onto Leicester on 2 June for an 'Eco Fashion and Great Lengths' hair show, followed by the grand final.
Yellow belt: Chelsie shows off her kickboxing skills breaking a wooden board with her feet...
... and with her fist
When asked what the judges should be looking for in a winner, Angie Beasley, Director of Miss England said: 'We are looking for a well-rounded individual who stands out from the crowd and possesses a natural beauty and flair.
'They must also be personable, eloquent and athletic, as well as being someone who will a role model for younger girls and make a great ambassador for their country.'
Angie added: 'The standard of girls taking part in Miss England Final this year is very high so the judges are going to have a really difficult job deciding on the winner.'
The competition: Ten of the other Miss England finalists who Chelsie will face in the beauty pageant
The final show starts at 7pm on Tuesday 26 June which will see one lucky girl crowned Miss England 2012, taking over from last year's winner Alize Mounter, 23, from Kensington.
Tickets for the two events in Leicester are on sale now. For more information visit www.missengland.info/
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Tomboy football captain hangs up her boots to make it as Miss England hopeful
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A ladies football captain is hoping to top the league table this month - but her victory will have nothing to do with her on-pitch talent.
Coral Beary, 18, is to swap her football boots for high heels to parade past the judges in the final of Miss England later this month.
The teenager, an air hostess from Dunstable, Beds, is hoping to win votes by impressing the judges with her ball skills.
Sporty: Ladies football captain Coral Beary is to swap her football boots for high heels to compete in the Miss England final
Coral already has an army of fans who watch her every week as she plays for her Leighton United ladies team - nicknamed 'The Vixens.'
Coral, who plays central midfield, will battle it out with 60 other beauty queens at the final of Miss England in Leicester on June 26.
She said: 'I was very happy because I had never participated in a pageant before. It was the first time I had done anything like this, so I was really shocked to be picked. I also felt really excited because it has now opened up some great opportunities.
Tomboy at heart: Coral said she was surprised to make the beauty queen final as her friend only entered her 'for a bit of a laugh'
'I was very sporty when I was younger, then during middle school I suddenly turned really girly, but I didn't give up on football because I had played for years and really enjoyed it.
'I feel nervous because it is the first time I have ever done anything like this - but even if I don't walk away with the crown, the whole experience has been amazing.'
Coral won her place in the final after a Polish teenager, Klaudia Zabek, 17, was disqualified because she didn't have a British passport.
On the ball: Coral in action, left, playing for Leighton United ladies team
'The Vixens': The beauty queenl, back row, fifth from left, with her team mates
The winner of the Miss England contest will win a luxury trip to Mauritius and the chance to compete for the prestigious Miss World title.
Coral revealed how she reached the Miss England finals after she was nominated by her friend as a joke.
She said: 'I've never done anything like this before and my friend thought she'd put me forward for a bit of a laugh.
'I didn't expect to go all the way. I went along not having prepared anything at all and maybe that's what worked in my favour - maybe I came across as really genuine.
Beautiful game: Coral said people are often surprised when she tells them she plays football
'There's some girls who go every year and try to win it - but I've just got lucky first time round. I'll be very happy if I won the final. Who knows - anything could happen.'
Coral, a Luton and Manchester United fan, added: 'I was a little bit of a tomboy at school playing football with the lads in the playground. But even when I got a bit older and a bit more girlie - I still loved playing football.
'I do have a small army of loyal fans - mostly boys - who come along each week to cheer us on. People are surprised when I tell them that I play football because they don't expect it at all.
'But although I'm pretty girlie I love nothing more then having a drink while watching the football in the pub and I'll cheering on England in the Euros next week.'
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