A teenager is hoping to adapt her nimble footwork on the football pitch to the catwalk when she takes part in the Miss Leicestershire contest later this month.
Codie Applebee, 17, of Wigston, who plays for West Bromwich Albion Ladies, is a contestant in the annual competition – one of 85 heats taking part across the country – leading to a place in the Miss England contest.
The trainee hairdresser was one of 150 young women and men aged 17 to 24 who were recruited in Highcross shopping centre earlier this month to take part in the Miss and Mr Leicestershire competition.
Now Codie is one of 22 women going forward to the final on Friday, March 15 – Red Nose Day – at the Holiday Inn, St Nicholas Circle, Leicester.
The teenager is having to fit in three days a week studying hairdressing at Leicester College, training twice a week at West Brom and playing every Saturday with working in a hairdressing and tanning salon, as well as now getting ready for the competition.
Codie said her dad, Brett, 40, had been playing football with her since she was about four.
She said: "I got into playing football with Dad, who used to run Leicester Women reserves. I'm not afraid to slide tackle, but I don't worry about how playing football might affect my looks.
"I play centre-mid. I've been playing for West Brom for three months. I scored in the first game I played for them, but I'm going back to Leicester City Women FC next season."
Codie, who twice had trials for the England under-15 side, said: "I'm hoping to go to the US to do a football scholarship, but you have to be 18 or 19 before you can do that."
Mum Tracey, 40, said: "Her dad always had a ball at his feet and Codie just followed suit. He's proud about his footballer daughter turning into a princess."
Brett said: "She won player of the season in her first year playing for a girls' side and has played at the Leicester Centre of Excellence since she was seven.
"She's got a good shot on her, I'm very proud of her.
"I've warned her that contests such as the one she's going into are a cut-throat business, but it's nice to see her doing it."
Cameron Brown, 20, of Narborough, is one of the 28 men – now whittled down to eight – recruited for the Mr Leicestershire contest.
He said: "I was shopping in Highcross when I saw the stand and I thought I'd give it a go. I'd like to do modelling work."
Fellow contestant Linford Martin, 22, of Humberstone, said: "I'm well up for it. I entered it before they started recruiting. All my friends said I should. I'm hoping to get into modelling and this is a bit of a showcase."
The winners of the two contests stand to win a professional photo shoot, a spa membership worth £900, free hairdressing for a year and an all-expenses-paid place in the Miss England or Mr England competition final in Torquay in June.
Angie Beasley, a director of Miss England who is organising the Leicestershire competition, said: "We set up a stand in Highcross over the weekend of February 15 and 16 and found 150 contestants – it was a huge success.
"The contestants will be judged on their confidence, charitable endeavour, eco outfit and how photogenic they are."
To find out more about all of the contestants, visit:
www.missengland.info/ regionals/leicester
