How you can help our Kirsten in bid to be top model...

Kirsten Haugh (18) beat thousands of other hopefuls to make it to the finals of the Top Model UK competition, which will see her battling it out to earn a once in a lifetime prize.

The winner of the prestigious competition will get to strut her stuff on the catwalk during London Fashion Week, as well as earning an international contract with agencies in London and Malta.

And statuesque Kirsten, who stands at 5ft11in, is hoping to tackle the competition and take home the coveted prize, which will also see her jetting off to Milan and Malta for two high end photoshoots.

This marks Kirsten's first time dipping her toe in the modelling pool after being scouted by a recruit for the competition.

"I always wanted to model, but I never put in any effort, I'm just starting now," she said.

"I first heard about it on Facebook, a girl wrote and asked did I ever consider becoming a model and asked me to go up to Belfast and audition. I never wanted any other job, I thought I always wanted to go into fashion, make up or modelling and now thought I'd just go for it 100pc."

Cried

And the Mullingar native explained that she was so nervous at the audition that she actually cried before strutting her stuff for a catwalk challenge.

"When I was in Belfast on the day, we had to do this little catwalk thing, and I came upstairs and was about two minutes late.

"Everyone was in these little dresses, and I was wearing shorts and a kind of funky outfit. I had a bit of an anxiety attack then, I cried and then pulled it together," she said.

"They called me back in and told me I needed to work on my confidence, but that I made it to the final."

She is now hoping to walk away as winner of the competition, which is taking place next month, and credits her sponsor, First Floor in Mullingar, for their help.

And whether or not she takes home the crown, the leggy model will be visiting agencies back home.

"I want to wait until after the final and see how that goes for me. Even if I don't get it, I still want to really go for it. I'll go up to Dublin, and visit Assets and the likes and see their opinion," she added.

Finalists for the Top Model UK competition are based on public votes, and Irish people can get behind Kirsten by visiting her Facebook page, facebook.com/ KirstenfortopmodelUK, and find out details on how to vote.

cmcbride@herald.ie