NORTHUMBERLAND’S beauty queen has proved that there is more to pageants than meets the eye, scooping awards for her personality and dedicated charity work.

Ponteland teenager Juliette Taylor represented the county at the national Junior Miss Galaxy beauty pageant last weekend.

Appearing in her first show as Junior Miss Northumberland Galaxy, Juliette (14) competed with girls from across the country to be awarded fourth place.

But the Ponteland High School School student did not go home empty handed, winning the titles of Miss Charity, Miss Congeniality Publicity Queen and Miss Popularity.

In the months leading up to the event, Juliette worked tirelessly, even giving up her birthday, to raise funds for a number of charities.

Pageant organisers allocated Juliette the Christie Charity, a hospital charity which provides services beyond that available from the NHS, to raise funds for.

However, she also raised money for local charities including St Oswald‘s Hospice and CHUF, organising bake sales and even a mini-pageant fashion show, to raise over £2,000.

The national final in Lancaster’s Park Hotel on Saturday was Juliette’s first experience of a beauty pageant.

After sending off her application form and photographs, she was named Junior Miss Northumberland Galaxy and entered into the national final.

The contest saw 25 finalists compete in fashionwear, and evening wear rounds as well as an interview with the panel of judges.

Juliette said: “Being on stage and having people cheering you on and doing Northumberland proud – it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I was crying when it was over.”

A cast member in school productions of We Will Rock You and The Wind in the Willows, Juliette hopes to continue to work in musical theatre and performance.

And she is no stranger to the stage, having performed in shows with her mum Jill’s dance school since she was a toddler.

Juliette is now looking forward to competing in the Miss Teen GB beauty pageant and is hoping to find business sponsors.