Brierfield woman in semi-finals of Miss Universe

Layla Griffiths (19), of Quakers View, was surprised to find that she had made the regional heat of one of the most prestigious beauty pageants in the world - after forgetting she had entered.

She was notified last week and will now travel to Manchester to compete against 60 other hand picked girls, whittled down from around 10,000 - who are all eager to prove their worth and take home the crown.

She said: “I’ve done quite a few pageants before but I really wanted to enter Miss Universe. I actually forgot about it after I entered on-line but then I got a call last week saying I was through. I’m so excited!”

And Layla has proved that she has brains as well as beauty and hopes that this can set her aside from other hopefuls.

Layla is an ambassador of the Holocaust Educational Trust after she was nominated by her Burnley College history lecturers for her dedication and interest in the subject.

Last year she travelled to Poland and attended a special convention on the Holocaust which she described as “an emotional experience.”

She is currently in her gap year from education and concentrating on her modelling career but is hoping to study a history and politics degree at the University of Essex in September.

No stranger to pageants, Layla was placed 3rd in the Teen Queen UK competition in 2009 and reached the top 25 in Miss Teen Galaxy last year.

She said: “My family are quite excited and all my friends are really happy for me.

“I think I’d make a good Miss Universe because I’m dedicated, and, like I am for the Holocaust Trust I think I will be a good ambassador for the country.”

If she impresses the Manchester judging panel Layla could go on to reach the grand finals which are held over the first May bank holiday weekend at the ICC in Birmingham. The winner of Miss Universe GB will then go on to represent Great Britain in Las Vegas.