IN her first ever beauty pagaent, Freya Melling, aged 13, has been short-listed for the semi-final of the UK Teen Dream competition but she needs votes from the public to reach the final.

Freya from Kerswell Green, near Worcester, hopes to win the competition and become an ambassador for the MAD Foundation charity.

The organisation helps to build a sustainable future for communities in developing countries. The overall winner of the competiton has the opportunity to fly out to Africa for a week and spend it helping in a village school in Ghana.

Her father Richard said: “It’s very exciting because she gets involved with a lot of fund-raising at school. It’s a phenomenal opportunity for Freya to see the work the charities she supports are doing, people rarely get to see the work being by done by charities overseas. It’s a life-changing opportunity.”

After initially sending a photograph of herself to the pageant organisers, the King's school girl was invited to a professional photoshoot in London. They called back three weeks later to say she had been successful and reached the semi-final.

Freya needs public votes to get her opportunity to go to Africa on behalf of the MAD Foundation.

Voting for a place in the final closes on the Saturday, July 4 at 11.30pm.

To vote text TD01 to 81319 or call 0900 596 1000 and quote 01. Texts and calls cost 75p.