Beauty And The Beast

When Apollonia llewellyn, 18, from Barnsley, became a finalist in a beauty pageant, she was delighted. Then her life began to unravel...

- James Hanman, Michelle Rawlins

Hands on my hips, I tossed my long, mousey-blonde hair and pulled my very best pout.

‘Such a little poser!’ my mum Paula, now 47, giggled, snapping away.

Just 6 years old, I loved pretending to be a catwalk model and posing in front of the camera.

With two brothers – Asa, then 10, and Arista, 5 – rough and tumbling round the house, I had to make my own girly fun. So Mum’s high heels and lippy were forever being plundered.

‘I want to be pretty, like the ladies in the magazines,’ I told Mum and my dad John, now 58.

By my teens, I was more concerned with doing well at school. But I still liked to try to look pretty, too.

So for my 13th birthday, Mum arranged a special treat.

‘I’ve booked us a mother and daughter photo shoot,’ she beamed. ‘At a proper photographer’s studio!’

It was an amazing day. We had our hair and make-up  done, giggling as we strutted our stuff in front of the camera.

I loved every second of it. ‘You’re really photogenic,’ the

photographer said after. ‘Have you thought about signing with a modelling agency?’

I was stunned. Yes, I loved posing for pics, but did I really have what it took to be a model?

‘Go for it!’ Mum encouraged, as the photographer gave me a list of recommended agents.

Before long, I was signed up. That’s how I also discovered beauty pageants.

Representing West Yorkshire, I entered the Miss Teen Great Britain competition.

And, weeks later... ‘I’m a finalist!’ I squealed

to Mum and Dad. ‘Well done!’ Dad grinned. The final was a year away.

Each contestant would be judged on their achievements during those 12 months.

So I threw myself into doing as many photo shoots as I could, started fund-raising for The Christie cancer charity and appeared at local events.