OKEHAMPTON resident Alexandra Denman has picked up two beauty pageant triumphs in recent weeks after being crowned Miss Most Pageant Potential at the Miss Natural Beauty competition and Miss Best Application at the national Miss British Beauty Curve final.

Although full of positivity and peppiness, Alexandra is not your stereotypical beauty queen. After being diagnosed with ME a few years ago, Alexandra has had to overcome extreme exhaustion, long-term illness and huge knocks to her confidence.

ME or myalgic encephalomyelitis, is characterised by a range of neurological symptoms, muscle pain with intense physical or mental exhaustion, relapses and specific cognitive disabilities. Due to her illness Alexandra ended up in a wheelchair for a period of time and was unable to work.

She said: ‘I became very ill and also suffered with mental health difficulties. I was feeling very low about myself as I had gained a lot of weight due to the medication I was on. I became very self conscious.

‘However, I managed to recover from my illnesses and was eventually able to get a part-time job. It was only by chance that I entered Miss British Beauty Curve last year. After competing in that pageant my life changed forever.’

Now a fully fledged entrepreneur, Alexandra’s life has well and truly turned around.

‘I am now a beauty, fitness and lifestyle coach and I run a dance exercise class every Thursday evening in the church hall on the high street. My business is my passion and I aim to help every woman feel beautiful and confident in her own skin.’

When discussing her win at the Miss Natural Beauty competition, Alexandra said that the competition had meant so much to her and that she was really overwhelmed to have won a prize. She also entered Miss British Beauty Curve — this competition consisted of a fashion round, a swimsuit round as well as an interview round.

Alexandra had admitted that it was the swimsuit round where she had felt most vulnerable but as this was her fourth pageant she felt confident. Wearing a rhinestone covered swimsuit and matching turquoise sarong, Alexandra took to the stage and with her newly found confidence she threw off her sarong and strutted across the stage in just her swimsuit and high heels.

She said: ‘The cheers I got were amazing, and I even got a “You go, girl!” from a woman in the audience. At the end of the competition I was crowned Mrs Best Application and I couldn’t be happier. This pageant means so much to me that winning anything is a true honour.’

Working as a lifestyle and confidence coach, the beauty queen has made it her mission to help other women feel confident and happy with themselves.

Alexandra said: ‘Everywoman is beautiful and we all deserve to feel amazing and good about ourselves regardless of size — everybody is beautiful.’

Alexandra said that she will be competing at two more pageants this year and she hoped to bring home a crown or a least some more prizes. She will compete at Miss Radiant Beauty and Miss Sensational later this year and will enter Miss Inspiration and Miss Galaxy in 2017.