BUDDING beauty queens have the chance to stake their claim for the Miss Worcestershire title this weekend.

The search for the beauty and brains who will represent Worcester and the surrounding area comes to the city on Saturday (September 13).

Last year's winner was 24-year-old medical student Preeti Sidhu

The new Miss Worcestershire will be "a role model for others, an ambassador of the city and represent the county at the Miss England finals in June 2015", according to organisers Miss England .

An open audition takes place on Saturday in the Guildhall at 1pm.

This audition day gives applicants the chance to chat to organisers, meet previous Miss Worcestershires and hear their stories.

There will also be a short interview with judges, as well as a photograph and catwalk round.

The competition proper takes place at the same venue on Sunday, November 2 at 7pm.

Miss Sidhu said: “It has been a life-changing opportunity and I think anyone who is thinking ‘should I’ must go for it.

"I have grown in confidence and had so many experiences I would have never imagined by being Miss Worcestershire.

"It’s not the beauty queen stereotype that people imagine, I have worked with local charities, helped teach young people in the community and am currently training for the Birmingham half marathon for Children with Cancer.”

Applications are still open with additional phone interviews on Saturday, September 20 for girls who cannot make the first audition date.

Email MissEnglandWM@gmail.com for an application form or visit http://www.missenglandwm.com/.