SCHOOLGIRL Paige Ballington is in the running to be named Miss Teen Great Britain.

The 15-year-old, a pupil at Ysgol Calon Cymru in Builth Wells, was crowned Miss Teen Powys in May and will aim to win the British crown which will be decided at the Globe Theatre in Blackpool this October.

Paige, from Erwood, will be competing against girls from all over Britain, and said: “I’m excited to meet new people. I’m a bit nervous because I don’t know what to expect, it’s my first national pageant.”

She learned about the competition online and said she entered after being encouraged by friends and family who she said had boosted her confidence: “I was nervous about applying to begin with.”

Paige has also amassed an extensive support network through her social media following - boasting over 10,000 followers on Instagram.

The teenager, who often posts about fashion and makeup, is already quite the businesswomen and uses her Instagram account to promote popular brands such as Hi-smile which have given her free products.

“I love art, my theme for my portfolio is makeup, which I really enjoy,” said the teen who has aspirations to be a make-up artist.

As part of the contest Paige will undertake charity work for the Together for Short Lives charity, that supports children with life-threatening and terminal illness.

As a keen sportswoman who loves athletics, netball and rugby Paige is much more than just a pretty face.

The sprinter and hurdler who trains twice a week with Brecon Athletics Club, is keen to show the pageant is “not just about looks”.

“I want to have fun. It will help me gain confidence.”

Having self confidence is a message Paige is keen to promote as having such a large online presence means occasionally the schoolgirl has had to deal with negative comments on social media: “I just ignore it. If you react it will just get worse.”