Black Country's Jade in finals of England's Top Model contest

A budding model from Aldridge is a step closer to her dream career after making it through to the final of a national competition. more

Seventeen-year-old Jade Edwards topped the bill in the regional heats of England's Top Model alongside Sama Kargbo, aged 18, from Handsworth and Alvin Tshibangu, 21, from Manchester.

The contest was held at Sofia's Italian Restaurant in High Street, Walsall.

Men and women, aged between 17 to 25, travelled from as far as Manchester on Sunday to take part in the first heat of the England's Top Model competition.

The entrants were marked by a panel of judges on a number of different areas including their walk, poses and general knowledge on the subject of modelling. The competition, which was organised by the Natasha Mac Model Agency based in Birmingham, will give the eventual winner a year's modelling contract with the agency as well as a cash prize.

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Natasha Mac, who runs the agency and is also a former winner of Belfast's Top Model, said: "We were recruiting models for the agency and made the decision to set up the England's Top Model competition to promote the idea.

"The whole idea is to give people that have an interest in modelling but wouldn't usually get the chance the opportunity to go for it.

"Our philosophy is to promote the healthy outlook of modelling and provide our models with our own unique training which all of the contestants will receive on grand final day.

"There are no height specifications for the competition.

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"The only requirement is that contestants must be between the ages of 17 to 25," she added.

The event in Walsall at the weekend was one of three casting days, the second will be held in Leeds on March 8.

There will also be another heat in Walsall on March 22 for anyone that missed an opportunity to enter.

The final of England's Top Model takes place in April at Sofia's in Walsall.

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