The night before she'd just done a photoshoot with the 49 other finalists in London so she'd had a chance to size up the opposition.

"I was nervous but excited at the same time. After seeing all the other contestants it got me more nervous but they are all really nice girls," she says.

It was a surprise to Jaime-Lee, a beauty therapist who works in her parents' Brinsworth hairdressing salon, Faulkner's, when her name was called out at the Miss Sheffield finals at the Walnut Club Champagne Bar in May.

She'd never entered a beauty contest before and would never have thought about it until she was talent spotted at The Clothes Show.

"They wanted me to enter Miss Teen Queen UK but I was too old," says Jaime-Lee, who will turn 19 on July 2. So they told her about Miss England instead.


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She lives at Treeton, near Rotherham with her parents Jill and Paul and brother Callum but reckons she's got Sheffield qualifications because she went to Brantwood and Handsworth schools and is now a student at the Sheffield School of Health and Beauty.

Since she's won she had a round of media interviews and personal appearances and is now a veteran at answering those familiar, well-worn questions.

Such as, aren't beauty contests demeaning to women?

"It's a great opportunity. There are lots of girls out there wanting to do it but don't have enough confidence. That was me until I tried," she says.

"We get called airheads but there are some very clever girls in it."

And, she says, you get the chance to have your voice heard. She's very taken by the SAFE@Last charity for which she made an appearance.

Nevertheless, Miss England takes no chances. Jaime-Lee has sailed through the Miss England Masterclass where she was taught how to answer questions, deportment and pulled up for slouching her shoulders.

Brunette, at 5ft 7in before she gets into her high heels, she's looking forward to the final on July 18 at the Troxy in London's Docklands. The whole family will be there along with Aaron Turner, her boyfriend of the last two years.

She's also got her own website up and running: www.jaimeleefaulkner.co.uk

At stake is entry to the Miss World contest, this year in the Ukraine, and the $100,000 first prize. So far, the prizes have been rather modest – a Miss Sheffield sash, photo shoot, couple of bikinis and a free pampering at Champneys.

"I'm saving that for just before the final," she says.
Jaime-Lee will be parachuted through to the final 20 girls if she gets enough votes on wwww.missengland.info