Local beauties at Miss Ulster

Within the grand surroundings of the home of Northern Ireland politics, a debate of a very different kind was taking place at Stormont Parliament Buildings last Thursday when 20 year old Courtenay Fitzpatrick from Banbridge was crowned the first-ever Clubworld Travel Miss Ulster.

It was also good news for local girl Justine Skelton as she came third!

Distinguished politicians including host of the evening, MLA Basil McCrea, SDLP MLA, Dolores Kelly and UUP MLA, Jo-Anne Dobson deliberated with a panel of judges including Clubworld Travel’s Delia Aston, over who would walk away with the title of Miss Ulster 2011.

18 year old St Michael’s student Justine from Lurgan paraded autumn winter fashions on a catwalk including Pollini Boutique in Moira, alongside 13 other finalists who travelled from around the province to attend the prestigious event. Justine won a hamper of Botanica skincare, flowers from Floral Earth in Holywood and a Vitamin E treatment from Meri Med on the Lisburn Road.

Justine is delighted that she came third.

She said; “I couldn’t believe it when I got through to the top seven at Stormont. Even to qualify for the competition was amazing, so it was a pleasant surprise when CityBeat’s Mark Lima called out my name.

“I’m so glad now I entered the Clubworld Travel Miss Ulster heat at Clubworld in Banbridge a couple of weeks ago.”

Delia Aston from Clubworld Travel said: “We have been overwhelmed by the interest in and support for the Clubworld Travel Miss Ulster competition from not only the hundreds of entrants who competed for a place in the final, but from respected politicians, media and business professionals from around Ulster.

“Justine is a beautiful girl inside and out and I hope this will be the start of a flourishing modelling career.”