AN aspiring catwalk model has bagged the top prize at a prestigious competition while raising hundreds of pounds for poorly youngsters.

Chloe Veitch, from Clacton, was shortlisted for the Top Models UK 2018 – the first pageant she has ever entered.

After weeks of training the 19-year-old was crowned the UK and worldwide winner of the editorial category at the star-studded finals in London.

“Girls would travel all over the country for this opportunity and they would travel miles for the competition,” she said.

“When they called out my name as the winner I was in so much shock.

“When I was accepting it there was a big bang of confetti above me and I could just hear my mum screaming in excitement.

“I’ve never done anything like this before. Ever since I was little I was always told I should go into modelling but I just didn’t know what to expect.”

Not only was the former Clacton Coastal Academy pupil invited to the glitzy final at the London Metropole Hotel, she also raised more than £1,000 for the Children With Cancer charity.

“I did loads to raise the money,” said Chloe.

“I did carboot sales every week, bags of people’s ironing for a fiver – anything to try and raise as much money as possible.

Following her pageant success, Chloe recently returned from South Korea where she represented Top Model UK.

“I did some amazing things like featuring in a TV commercial and being in loads of shoots,” she said.

“I’ve changed a lot since the competition because I used to be this shy girl who used to get bullied, but now I’ve been asked to model in London Fashion Week.”