MUM-OF-THREE Joanne Walker will represent Lancashire in a national beauty pageant.

The 33-year-old is set to compete at the Mrs Galaxy UK finals after winning the regional title in September, and will be up against 21 married women on February 6.

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If she wins she will go to Florida this summer for the chance to scoop the global award.

Joanne, from Beardwood, Blackburn, said: “There’s two weeks to go and I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve been doing pageants since I was 18 and enjoy them a lot. There’s much more to it than just standing in front of the judges, as it’s all based around fundraising and charity events now.”

Contestants raise cash for The Christie, a specialist cancer hospital in Manchester, while Joanne has also been volunteering with the free project, which offers food and essential supplies to the homeless in Blackburn.

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The Eden Place resident, with lives with husband Glenn, 46, ten-year-old twins Sophie and Oliver, and two-year-old Dexter, said: “I’ve made friends with a lot of the other contestants on Facebook and it’ll be nice to all meet each other. It’s not too competitive or anything and we all want to help each other raise money.”

Far from being outdated, Joanne said pageants are growing in popularity, and do not just judge people on looks.

She added: “There are more and more girls and women entering the competitions now.

“The women in my category range from their early 20s to about 50, and there’s no particular look that you need. It’s about the personality as well, as you have to come across well when speaking to the judges, who are picking someone to represent their organisation, so you could have a good looking girl who doesn’t have enough in other aspects.

“But I find it’s a really positive experience and if there were any bad feelings around it I would have ruled it out years ago.”

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Joanne doesn’t have to travel far for the finals, which are being held at the Park Hall Hotel in Charnock Richard.

Joanne McGloine from Heartfelt and Cherished Photography, who sponsors Joanne, said: "Joanne and her family have been to Heartfelt and Cherished Photography for photographs and her children entered the Oswaldtwistle carnival Prince and Princess competition I worked on too.

"Its nice to see local people promoting or area."

Like what you see? Find Joanne on Facebook here...