A TEENAGE beauty is celebrating after being crowned Miss Worcester 2008.

Rosabella Styles, who only turned 19 last week, put on an assured display to impress a panel of special judges as she confidently answered questions and sang a moving song in front of hundreds of people at Worcester Racecourse last night.

Miss Styles, of Cradley, near Malvern, will now go on to represent Worcester at Miss England next month.

She said: "It was a bit of a surprise to win.

"I had never been to the races before so that was an experience in itself. I didn't know what to expect from the whole competition and I certainly wasn't expecting to get this far but I am honoured to represent Worcester.

"I think it's a wonderful city and it's surrounded by such beautiful countryside. It is a wonderful county as a whole."

The competition to be crowned the winner was extremely close, though, with 22-year-old Amanda Flatt, of Fairbarn Avenue, off Ombersley Road, Worcester, coming second, and 20-year-old Sarah Burton, of Lower Broadheath, coming third.

Channel Four Racing's Mike Cattermole quizzed the 10 finalists on stage before they were all asked to perform a talent of their choice.

It was the first year a talent show has been incorporated into Miss Worcester but all of the acts ranging from tap dancing to electric guitar and poetry reading to poi - an artform using brightly colored tails and streamers - were of an extremely high standard.

However, it was Miss Styles who really stood out for the judges after she performed a self-penned song about Violette Szabo - a female secret agent who often rode around Worcester on the back of her cousin's motorbike and went off to fight in the Second World War.

Current Miss England Georgia Horsely, aged 20, said: "She had a fantastic presence on stage and she also had the confidence to explain to the audience what she was going to sing.

"I can imagine her on the stage at the Miss England final and doing well."

The winner of Miss Worcester 2007 Jodi Edwards, aged 19, of Fernhill Heath, Worcester, said Miss Styles was a worthy winner.

"I think she had the whole package," she said. "She is a lovely singer, very intelligent, and is naturally very beautiful. Her future is bright and I think that she will go far.

"I'm very happy for Rosabella to take over as Miss Worcester."

Worcester Racecourse hospitality manager Jenny Cheshire hailed the event, which was organised in conjunction with your Worcester News and sponsored by Bushwackers and Sin, as a "huge success".

  • Visit out picture gallery from the final here.