Support plea for Melissa's model bid

A second Staffordshire beauty is in the running to pick up the title of Teen Queen UK after reaching the heats of the national contest.

Stunning Melissa Grew is now appealing for help from people living in the town to help get through to the finals of the competition, which aims to find a new star for the modelling world.

Melissa, aged 16, first heard about the contest after reading about fellow Stafford contestant Natalie Bundy in the Express & Star.

Once she had read about 17-year-old Natalie's success by making it through to the finals in November, she decided to try her luck and sent in an application form for the contest.

Bubbly Melissa is no stranger to the camera. As well as working as a receptionist and studying at college, the former Weston Road High School pupil has been signed up with a model and TV agency since she was just eight years old.

The work has seen her feature in adverts for Alton Towers and appear in episodes of top TV drama Doctors. However, she said she was "stunned" when she made it through to the heats of Teen Queen UK and will be overjoyed if she gets through to the next round.

"I was shocked to be honest because I only sent an application form in and didn't think anything of it," she said.

"Then they called me and asked me to go to London for the day for a photoshoot, all expenses paid, and it went from there." Now Melissa, who lives in Kingston Hill, is appealing for her friends, former schoolmates and fellow Stafford College students to help her through to the next round.

"This round relies on voting so I need all the support I can get," she said.

To vote for Melissa, go to www.teen queenuk.com, where Melissa's profile can be found in heat four.

People can support the teenager through a telephone voting number provided.

The deadline for votes is midnight on January 1 next year and the winners will be announced at midday the same day.

If Melissa joins Natalie and a handful of other girls in the finals, she will have to appear before a panel of experts and take part in a catwalk show to prove she has what it takes to make it as a top model.