The finals for Miss Hertfordshire beauty pageant will take place this weekend and one woman is eagerly getting ready for the competition.

Lizzie Spyrou, 20, who went to school in Aldenham, is one of the many contestants taking part in this year’s beauty pageant.

Miss Spyrou, who has been competing in Miss Hertfordshire since 2014, is hoping this year she will take the crown and move onto Miss England.

She said: “I just love them. I have been competing ever since 2014. I like to do it to raise awareness of issues within the community.

“It was nerve-wracking when I first took part but everyone was so friendly and welcoming.

“They are not what I was expecting but they are a lot better than what I expected.

“I never had much confidence but I thought I would just give it a go and I got to the semi-finals in my first competition.

“I just wanted to do something different and I know a lot of people who have competed in beauty pageants before and I just wanted to do it.

“Having been a student at Aldenham School it would mean a great deal to me to win the title.”

The entry age for Miss Hertfordshire is 16 to 26 and Miss Spyrou said she will compete in beauty pageants until she wins Miss England.

Last weekend Miss Spyrou competed in the sports round where she won the Miss Hertfordshire Sportswoman title and with that she has also gained a sport in the top 10 in the finals this Sunday.

Each beauty pageant entrant has to raise money for Beauty with a Purpose, a charity set up by Julia Morley to raise money for disadvantaged children all over the world.

The finals of Miss Hertfordshire will be held in Stevenage on April 10.