A SWINDON beauty queen is on a mission to safeguard the next generation of aspiring models with training on sexual exploitation and social media.

Christine Gregory, who competed in the UK’s Top Model in 2016, will bring her experience of the industry to two six-hour sessions on July 1 and 15, giving practical advice to youngsters on preventing themselves from being taken advantage of, as well as teaching them about the industry.

She told the Advertiser: “There’s a lot of young teens who are presenting themselves in the media in a provocative way. In underwear under the age of 18 believe it or not.”

Christine added: “What the girls don’t realise is that they put their pictures on Facebook and people see them, but you don’t know who’s copied or pasted them.

“People can snap chat and take the photo and use that later on against you, once it’s up they can’t take it down.

“These things need to be raised and talked about. People can just take advantage of girls, especially photographers getting girls to be certain positions that could potentially be detrimental to their future in other career avenues.”

“All I want to do is safeguard the next generation. The main part is the education side and not being picked on to wear designer clothes and give into the pressure and bullying. There is a support network for these young people to safeguard against sexual exploitation.”

She explained: “The training programme will teach them what to watch out for and how to present themselves. They’ll learn about sexual exploitation, and who to report to.”

Speaking more generally on sexual exploitation Christine said: “There are issues and they need to be solved. When they leave school young girls are at risk if they haven’t been specifically training in sexual exploitation.

"The more you know, the more you see.”

The sessions are being held during the Mr and Miss Swindon combined pageantry and modelling competition, to be held at a red-carpet event with celebrity judges on August 25 at the Marriott Hotel.

Open to boys and girls, with winners in each category in with a chance to win the title Miss, Mrs, Master and Mr Swindon, the ages range from 5 to over 18. The winner will also be invited to take part in a Wiltshire-wide competition next year. Anyone interested in the training can contact Christine through the Facebook group Model Nation UK.