'I thought I wouldn't live to see my 15th birthday - now I'm hoping to be crowned Miss England'

A Manchester Arena attack survivor is hoping to be crowned Miss England – saying she feels honoured to be able to compete for the accolade.

Modelle Hughes-Gervis, from Salford, was just 14 when she was caught up in the May 2017 tragedy which left 22 dead.

The then-teenager had been given Ariana Grande concert tickets as a Christmas present and couldn’t wait to watch her favourite singer with her best friend.

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The pair were still in the arena when the bomb detonated but managed to escape without injury – however the tragedy has had a lasting impact on her mental health.

Modelle, now 20, said: “I left unharmed and have had people tell me, ’But you weren’t next to the bomb,’ but that’s not what it’s about.

“The genuine fear that goes through your body when you hear a literal bomb go off creates the worst case scenarios in your head, like another potentially going off that could be the one to harm you.

“Being 14 and having to deal with the trauma of knowing and seeing people had lost their lives at a concert I was also at was a lot to process.

“It did ruin my confidence as a young teen. I was scared to go into big crowds, I was scared whenever I heard a loud bang and I still do get triggered when I hear them.”

Modelle, who works as a model, says she 'tried to carry on as normal' in the days, weeks and months that followed the tragedy but 'normal didn’t feel reachable for a very long time'.

Working in the Trafford Centre, Modelle still gets triggered by loud noises or the sound of people screaming.

But Modelle was determined not to let the tragedy hold her back in life – going on to model professionally and even take part in beauty pageants.

Modelle applied for the title of Miss Manchester back in December 2023 after being encouraged to go for it by others.

Her application was successful and she was invited to the Miss Manchester, Miss Cheshire and Miss Lancashire grand finals at influencer restaurant hotspot Vermillion in Manchester city centre on March 17.

While she was not crowned Miss Manchester, she did win the public vote, meaning she was sent straight to the Miss England semi-finals.

There, she went on to win the title of 'Publicity Queen', securing her spot in the Miss England grand finals in Wolverhampton later this week.

If Modelle is crowned Miss England, she will be able to compete for a place in the prestigious Miss World 2025 pageant.

“Almost seven years later I am now competing for a place in Miss World at the Miss England grand finals on the 16/17th May where I will be stood in front of a large audience in a massive venue,” she said.

“I am proud of myself to say the least. I have continued to chase my dreams, not let the words of others get me down or change how I feel. I am beyond excited to see what else the world has to offer me and I will forever take all opportunities I am given.

“I feel honoured to be given the opportunity to show the world that you don’t just give up, to Miss England I bring resilience, passion and empowerment.

“To me, Miss England goes beyond just beauty, the advocacy has brought me to speak about what I believe in and help others. This is what made me start my campaign Peaceful Paths where I raise awareness on the consequences of crime and violence. The campaign is a tribute to all of you that have been in the face of tragedy caused by the bad choices of others.

"I want to stand proud for the 22 victims of the Manchester Arena bombing. If I can make one small difference in this big world, then my purpose has been a success.”

To donate to Modelle's campaign, follow the link by clicking here.