"It was never something I thought I would do, just a whole lot of friends and family were saying 'you could do it, with your height (she's 5 feet 9 inches) and everything, why don't you try for it'. I went along for the fun of it, not expecting to win at all," says Miss Northern Ireland Melissa Patton, a Belfast Girls' Model School graduate.

The north Belfast girl and reigning Miss Northern Ireland is to set off to the Miss World finals in China. Her mission is to win for “the country she loves.”

Entering the Miss Northern Ireland competition was Melissa's first modelling experience. After leaving Belfast Girls' Model School two years ago, she worked as an air hostess for Jet2.com, flying mainly to Spain and Italy. She has taken a year out to fulfil her duties as Miss Northern Ireland.
It was Melissa's mum who entered her into the competition, sending photos of her to a model agency. Family and friends persuaded her to go along to the Belfast heats in April.

"At the final I was really enjoying myself, having a ball. I was actually sad at the end of the weekend and it was over. All the girls were staying at the Europa and we were having so much fun – I was sad it was over, but also excited that I won. So I’m still in a shock at being thrust into the limelight: It's all just happened so quickly, I can't put it into words."

Melissa is excited to participate in the Miss World contest in China on November 1: “Just to know they are watching me when I'm coming on stage, it's going to give me goosebumps."

"It'll make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I will be so emotional that night, I will probably cry my eyes out."

"I love my country and the people in it. To go and represent Northern Ireland, which not many people have visited, to give them an insight to what our country is, to be encouraging people to take a weekend break and visit the country, is just great. Just to be able to tell people about your country and be there as an ambassador, it's amazing."

Melissa appreciates the support she gets from her family, friends and the Agency she graduated from.

"Everybody has been amazing, they never stop talking about it. When we go out my friends introduce me as Miss Northern Ireland. It's crazy."