A YATE charity shop worker has made it to the finals of a national top model search.

Emily Ball, 21, from Chipping Sodbury, competed against hundreds of girls and is now a finalist at leading model search competition Top Model UK.

Miss Ball, who works at St Peter’s Hospice in Yate Shopping Centre, will be judged in the commercial category against 27 other models from around the country at the final in London.

The charity shop assistant, who studied fashion and photography at Southampton University, said: “It has been such a great experience to take part in the competition already, we’ve been given professional advice and catwalk training and I’m so excited to have made it to the finals.

“I only really stumbled across the competition on Facebook and thought I might as well send an application in with some photos. After that I was asked to go to an audition in London where we had polaroids taken and did a swimwear catwalk.

“At that point there were around 60 of us left before the judges eventually whittled it down to around 20 and we were told we would be in the final – I was over the moon."

Miss Ball will be judged through three rounds at the final, including a self-styled lingerie or swimwear catwalk and then after being styled by representatives from London Fashion Week.

Miss Ball added: “I love working at the hospice shop as I’ve been really lucky to get some experience doing the visual merchandising, which I love. The managers have recognised my passion for styling and fashion and I’ve really enjoyed creating the window displays and putting outfits together. In a charity shop you can find some real hidden gems.

“Whether I win or lose the Top Model competition I plan to stay at the hospice shop for the near future and then move on to something else in the fashion industry. Modelling full-time would be amazing but I understand how difficult it is so I’m also looking at other opportunities.”

Top Model UK is the original leading professional model search competition in the UK and has been discovering new model talent and creating dreams for almost a decade.

Victoria Canavan, St Peter’s Hospice shop area manager said: “It is fantastic that Emily is through to the finals of such a huge and prestigious competition. We are very proud of her efforts and have our fingers crossed for her on the day! Although we don’t want to lose her expert eye to the modelling world, perhaps she would come back and model for us one day."

St Peter’s Hospice cares for more than 2,670 patients each year as well as supporting family members, with all services provided free of charge.

The hospice relies on gifts in wills, kind donations and funds generated by the hospice shops.

Miss Ball will be judged at the final on Friday, March 13, at the Hilton Metropole in London.

To vote for Emily in the Charity Public Vote category, which raises money for Children with Cancer, visit www.topmodeluk.com.