4:00pm Wednesday 28th July 2010
By Emily Roberts
A BASINGSTOKE beauty queen is looking for public support to land a place among the top 20 finalists who will compete for the Miss England crown.
Laura Ashfield will be up against 59 others for the title at a two-day event in August, after securing a final place at the semi-final stage of the contest.
But if the public get behind her, the 23-year-old, from Old Basing, could earn a place in the final 20 without having to go through a selection process.
Laura was crowned Miss Basingstoke in January after impressing a panel of judges, including reigning Miss England Katrina Hodge.
She will take part in the Miss England final on August 31 and September 1 in Birmingham, with the added pressure, and excitement, of the competition being televised for the first time in more than two decades.
The beauty contest will be back on TV on The Active Channel, on Sky 281.
Contestants will compete in various rounds including fitness, talent, charity, and a sports round. One contestant will automatically gain a place in the final 20 by receiving the most public votes.
Laura said: “I really hope people in the Basingstoke area will get behind me and vote for me. I think it would be amazing for someone from Basingstoke to win Miss England.”
How to vote for Laura
The public voting line will open on Friday, July 30 at noon and will close on Wednesday, September 1 at 6pm. Votes made before or after this voting period will not be counted but you may still be charged.
To vote by text, you need to text 08MissBasingstoke to 81118.
To vote from a landline, dial 0901 2937900 and then enter 08 when prompted.
Each vote will cost £1 plus standard network charge if voting by mobile. From each vote, 15p will go towards our chosen charity which is the Variety Club of Great Britain.
If you have a problem with voting, the helpline is 0844 561 6410 The contestant with the highest amount of votes will be announced on the night of the final and will be awarded with a place in the final 20. Winning the public vote will not guarantee winning the entire competition.
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