Model of courage

6:09am Saturday 28th June 2008

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Millions of TV viewers are set to have their perceptions of beauty challenged by aspiring model Rebecca Legon.

The disabled 27-year-old from Faringdon was selected as one of eight wannabe catwalk stars for BBC Three series Britain's Missing Top Model.

Rebecca, who was born with only part of a left leg, joined girls with a range of disabilities including deafness, amputated limbs and partial paralysis for the six-part series.

She will be seen appearing in her own modelling shoots while living in a £4m penthouse in Chelsea Harbour with the other contestants.

Rebecca said: "I've always loved having pictures taken, but had never really thought about modelling before the show.

"When you're disabled it's not something you think about. But the show was absolutely brilliant.

"I have had a couple of photoshoots since and to actually have the makeup and have all the attention makes you feel like celebrities must feel like everyday."

During the series, each of the girls vies for a prize which includes a session with renowned fashion photographer Rankin and their pictures appearing in Marie Claire magazine.

The show sees them eliminated on a weekly basis following tasks judged by fashion gurus including designer Wayne Hemingway.

Rebecca's first task was to find an object that signified her beauty and to be photographed with it.

The former Faringdon School pupil said: "I wanted a fan because when I walk around I'm always hot, and fans are quite flirty, but I ended up with a bottle of perfume.

"But parts of the shoot were hard because I look better when I smile than when I pout."

Size 10 Rebecca was working as an administrator at a construction firm when her friend spotted an advert for the show.

She said she wanted to appear because she wanted to challenge conventional ideas of beauty, and said: "I do not think you have to be 5ft 10in to be beautiful.

"You can be all different shapes and sizes - you get large women that are beautiful and you get disabled people like us that are beautiful.

"But I think the public are sometimes scared to approach disabled people because they see the disability first.

"I think we have challenged perceptions on the show, but whether or not we have changed them I don't know."

Rebecca now plans to forge a career in TV presenting after enjoying working in front of the cameras.

She said: "I've always been the kind of person that has tried to do anything they can.

"When I was younger I learned to ride a bike when nobody thought I would be able to do it."

Britain's Missing Top Model begins at 9pm on Tuesday on BBC Three.