Crowning glory for Pinner poet

Mandavi Murphy, 18, was awarded her crown at a glitzy event in Hounslow on May 23 and will be preparing for the Miss England semi-finals on June 14.

At the Miss Heathrow finals, Miss Murphy wowed star judge Siobhan Dillion, herself a finalist in the BBC's How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? television show, by reciting a poem she had written for the occasion.

The finalists performed a talent round and modelled eco-swimwear and evening wear before being interviewed on stage.

At 5ft 11in Miss Murphy towered over her competitors, but also impressed with her credentials. She described herself: "I am self-taught. I studied for all my exams at home. When I was 13 I sat my first GCSE exam in French and achieved an A*.

"At age 14 I began studying German and within three months I was ready to sit the GCSE exam which I passed with grade A*, having never studied the language previously."

But her talents don't stop there. She continued: "Aside from academics I have also achieved in many other areas... I have a great passion for drama and have completed acting courses at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.

"Having lived in India for two-and-a-half years I became proficient in traditional Indian dance and performed on stage. I also studied yoga as well as Indian cooking. I have been playing tennis since the age of five.

"Educating myself has strongly developed within me key qualities of self-motivation, discipline and determination, which are essential to succeed in any sphere of life, be it maths or modelling."

Miss Murphy says she hopes to go on and win the coveted Miss England title, but wants to keep her feet on the ground by volunteering for charity.