SHE might not have walked away with the crown she craved but Miss Worcester can hold her head up high after appearing in the Miss England final.

Verity Gwilliam finished 24th out of more than 60 girls in the public vote but missed out on a place in the final 15.

The beauty contest was eventually won by Alize Lily Mounter, who qualified as winner of Miss Everymodel, and she will now compete at Miss World.

Miss Gwilliam, a 20-year-old secretarial assistant for children’s charity Barnardo’s, said: “It was a lot of fun and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“I was really honoured to be a part of it and to represent Worcester.”

Miss Gwilliam, of St Peter’s, Worcester, thanked everyone who had supported her so far and while she did not win, she said: “I can focus even more on my charity work now and get involved in as many things as I possibly can.”