A YOUNGSTER is preparing to jet to Spain to compete in an international beauty pageant.

Georgie Alexander, 12, of Langdale Drive, won the title of Miss Belle UK after competing in Blackpool last summer.

Georgie had initially bagged the second place in the competition, but last month organisers told her she was the beauty pageant's queen after the original winner had to drop-out.

And now she will fight for a chance to win in the international heat in Spain next year.

Georgie said: "This will be the first international competition that I do. I was really happy when I found out I had qualified."

It was only the second beauty pageant and the first national competition of this kind for the Cockermouth School pupil.

She added: "I started doing beauty pageants in March last year, I just thought it was a different hobby."

Her sister Robyn, 14, and brother CJ, 11, also compete in beauty pageants.

The three siblings also do gymnastics, dancing and cheering at Workington's Theatre Crazy together.

Georgie said: "I like competing but I don't like it when we have to compete against each other."

Georgie qualified in the pre-teen section of Miss Belle, but when she will compete in Spain she will be in the teen category.

And there is a chance she will be going up against Robyn, if she qualifies at the teen section of Miss Belle in Durham later this year.

Mum Melissa said: "They do a lot of things together anyway, but I'm not overly keen on seeing them compete against each other, but it's a learning curve."

As part of the international competition, Georgie has to raise money for charity.

She chose to raise cash for the Sick Children Trust and Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Georgie is organising a fundraising night at Workington's Railway Club next month and she is already planning more events and even her own charity beauty pageant.

She said: "It makes me feel good to raise money for charity. I'm really looking forward to going to Spain, I'm excited, especially about flying over there."

Melissa said: "I'm very proud of her. It was a big surprise when we got the message she had qualified, we didn't expect it. The pageant system is new to us so we're learning a lot from different competitions."

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