A GLAMOROUS grandmother has vowed to live life to the full following her son’s death and is competing in the final of a beauty pageant representing Wiltshire.

Amanda Booth, 54, who was born in Marlborough and grew up in Pewsey, will go up against other Ms Galaxy finalists from around the UK on February 4 in Preston. There will be four stages including competitions in a cocktail dress, an evening gown and a bikini.

The former Pewsey Vale School student has always dreamt of being a model but was too shy and lacking in confidence when she was younger. However when her son Stuart, 30, a father-of-three, died seven years ago after falling out of a taxi in Bristol, she realised ‘life is too short’.

“I was devastated but decided that I would set myself goals and dreams that I wanted to achieve and come out of my comfort zone.

“Life is far too short to sit and do nothing, as you never know what's around the corner,” said Ms Booth, who lives in Bristol and has a daughter and five grandchildren.

The first thing the former retail manager did was pluck up the courage to do a modelling shoot in London. “The photos were amazing. I started to feel confident,” she added.

She was then searching online at modelling websites and came across The Galaxy Pageant which has categories for Mrs, Miss, Miss Teen and Junior Miss Galaxy. This is also the first year there has been a Ms Galaxy category in the competition for unmarried women aged over 30.

“I thought to myself, why not. So I sent a couple of my photo shoot pics in not even thinking I would get a second look,” she said.

“I honestly thought when I got the call that I was a finalist, it was some sort of joke. I was so excited I cried and thought ‘oh my God that's crazy’.”

The winners of the UK Galaxy Pageants travel to the USA to compete in the Galaxy International Pageant in Florida.

Ms Booth, whose mother Sue Lawrence lives in The Crescent, Pewsey, added: “To represent Wiltshire is amazing as I was born in Marlborough and grew up in Pewsey, where most of my family are still living, including my nan of 95, she's amazing.

“And to win would be a dream come true that I have achieved something really amazing for me and gives me more confidence for the future.”