Catwalk Competition Final

On Saturday the 15th of June, central Manchester saw the culmination of months of searching and selection for the USC / Models 1 sponsored search for a catwalk model.

A full on runway had been created at the head of Market Street, between USC and Boots (one of the co-sponsors) to allow the ten chosen lads and lasses to strut their catwalk stuff. All of the competitors were between 14 and 20.

Of the finalists, several were confident and appeared to have plenty of experience, while others looked like rabbits caught in headlights, wanting to get out of the limelight as soon as possible. The show was MC'd by a rather 'tangoed' Byron from Channel M (or maybe it was the lights), with fine musical accompaniment from the legendary DJ Dave Haslam, who now spins discs for XFM.

There was a panel of industry judges and a smattering of 'celebrity stardom' in Big Brother contestants Orlaith and Alex (Who ??? I hear you ask). At least they played for the camera, but that is why they were there in the first place, keeping the D list gravy train chuffing along nicely.

There was a big Manchester crowd cheering on the competitors from around the country, though we had local presence in the shape of Charlotte Croft from Cheshire and Maria Sokolovski, a hometown Manchester girl.

Maria won the Female competition (cheered on by a partisan crowd), along with a year long contract with Models 1 and a shopping spree at USC.

Chris Ord from County Durham won the Male event. Second place went to Alex Herbert and Katherine Tildesley.

Chris Keller-Jackson.