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SCIENTIST Carly Durkin has brains as well as beauty after taking a chance on becoming Miss Staffordshire 2011.

And the 21-year-old, from Abbey Hulton, wants to use her success to inspire others from deprived backgrounds to aim high.

Carly, a final-year student in biomedical science at Keele University, is one of 35 girls who have so far entered the annual beauty contest.

She said: "I was encouraged to enter after visiting my hairdressers. I never considered applying before then, but they thought I would be quite good.

"I will be graduating from Keele in May as a biomedical scientist. Hopefully I will be working in the pathology lab in a hospital.

"The public don't tend to know what happens to blood or urine samples which they give, but I will be analysing those samples."

Carly, who now lives in Burslem, added: "I'm originally from Abbey Hulton, a low income area.

"There is a stigma to low income areas and hopefully by taking part in Miss Staffordshire, I can encourage others to be successful.

"If I won, I would be so proud. It would be an amazing achievement."

Fellow entrant Rebecca Hine, aged 19, is a former Miss Teen Queen finalist. The qualified beauty therapist, from Cheddleton, said: "I entered Miss Teen Queen after someone approached me at the Clothes Show and asked me to take part. I made it to the final 50 in London. It was brilliant, really glamorous.

"So I rang up to enter Miss Staffordshire. I've always been interested in modelling and fashion anyway and I'm a beautician. My ambition is to open my own beauty salon.

"I used to be a ballet and tap dancer so I have been on stage in shows before. I loved it; it was a buzz."

Jodie Thacker, aged 17, of Uttoxeter, was a finalist last year and hopes the competition can be a springboard for a career as a fashion model.

She said: "I was only 16 when I took part last year and when I went on stage, the compere introduced me as 'the baby of the group', which put me off.

"This time, I know what to expect and I think my extra confidence will come across on stage.

"I've always wanted to be a fashion model."

Organisers say the county's prettiest girls have been coming forward in record numbers for a chance to be crowned Miss Staffordshire 2011.

Hopefuls still have until March 19 to enter. Auditions will then be held to whittle the number down to a final 20, who will all take part in the grand final held at Uttoxeter Racecourse on May 14.

Liz O'Sullivan, events executive at the racecourse, said: "We've got about 35 entrants so far and we've still got a couple of weeks before the final deadline.

"It's a lot more than in the past.

"We have rated all the entrants and we've got some really good candidates, some who will almost definitely go through to the final.

"The winner is automatically entered into Miss England and it would be lovely to see a girl from Staffordshire win that and then take part in Miss World."