A CIVIL servant who takes to the catwalk in her spare time wants to dispel the airhead stereotype which comes with beauty pageants.

Sharon Gaffka, who lives in Manor Crescent, Didcot, has won a place in the grand final of the first UK Power Pageant.

And the former Didcot Girls' School pupil wants to advocate the competitions as a great way for young women to build their confidence and self esteem.

The 20-year-old said: "There is a lot of negative perceptions which have been created by the media which surround beauty pageants.

"Never in my time competing have I felt or been told I have to conform to a stereotype of how I look.

"And if I was told I had to look a certain way and be a certain size I would step away from doing this because that is not why I started doing pageants.

"Before I started pageants I would not have spoken to anyone, I was so shy and did not have any confidence.

"And that is what beauty pageants help young women achieve, confidence and improving skills such as public speaking."

Miss Gaffka was one of 800 apprentices chosen out of 7,500 applicants for the Fast Track Apprenticeship scheme, which she credits to her experience in the pageant world.

She said: "Without those competitions I would never have had the confidence to apply for the apprenticeship.

"Now I'm one step closer to having the career I've always dreamed of.

"I work in legal aid at the moment, but I want to eventually become a lawyer.

"People think there is this really catty environment, where all the girls are against each other and want to do everything they can to win.

"It is not like that at all, it is like a huge family where everyone looks out for you.

"One girl who I used to compete with is actually now my sponsor for this competition."

The Miss Oxfordshire International winner said the competitions give you a platform to raise awareness of issues you are passionate about.

She added: "I once got asked by someone, 'in your interview do you just ask for world peace?' and I thought what a stupid question.

"The women that I have competed alongside are dentists or lawyers. We use the platform of being a beauty pageant girl to raise awareness of issues we want to change.

"If you are 'somebody' you are listened to more.

"Whenever I'm asked in an interview what I would want to change about the world, I always say the perceptions and attitudes surrounding mental health.

"I've done a lot of work in the past with MIND and I think it is really important we continue to dispel stereotypes and negativity which surrounds it."

The grand final of the UK Power Pageant will be held on July 10 at the Park Hall Hotel in Lancashire.

There eight winners will be crowned: Miss International UK, Miss Grand England, Scotland, & Wales, Miss Intercontinental England, Scotland, & Wales, and World Supermodel UK.

If Miss Gaffka is crowned one of the eight winners she will be jetting off to compete in the grand international final.