A Swindon-born woman has entered a beauty pageant in an effort to fight the disease which took her mother.

Emma Jane, 25, entered the Miss London 2024 competition which raises money for Cancer Research UK and is also doing extra fundraising for Bone Cancer Research Trust.

After success at previous pageants, she hopes with experience to do even better this year.

She said: “I didn't realise how much preparation actually goes into it. It's actually a lot more work than I first realised.”

As well as catwalks in various outfits before a crowd, the pageant involves an interview with the judges and various judging categories such as most charity work done and best publicity.

She continued: “This year I feel a bit more prepared. There are a lot more girls entering it this year, which is always a bit nerve-racking.”

Emma explained that pageants have changed a lot: “Before it was very much the skinniest prettiest blonde girl, but now it's a lot more open to diversity. 

“It's really not what you look like at all. It is not based on what your body type is or your skin colour or your hair colour, nothing to do with that. 

“It is a lot more about the person who helps out their local area and their charity and like actually wants to make a difference.

“Anyone could do pageants.”

Emma was encouraged to enter her first pageant by her boyfriend and found the participants more friendly than she expected.

She said: “I have got so much more self-confidence through going in. I used to have the worst anxiety.

“It pushes you in the deep end, you have to talk to the judges and to walk on a stage in front of quite a lot of people in heels.”

Emma feels sure her successes would have made her mum, who was a teacher in Longcot and mum passed away in October last year, proud.

She said: “A lot of the teachers there have sent me messages saying they're proud of how much money I've raised and my mum would be proud, which is really nice to hear.”

Emma hopes this year to excel in the charity round by raising the most money for Bone Cancer Research Trust.

The charity works exclusively to fight bone cancer, which affected Emma’s mother.

She will be running the Swindon Race For Life on May 4, as well as walking on hot coals.