A TEENAGE beauty queen flew the flag for Darlington during a major competition recently.

Lydia Oxley was crowned Miss Photogenic at the Miss Junior Teen GB contest at the weekend.

The 14-year-old Education Village student, who previously won the Teen Queen of the North title, has been competing in beauty pageants for just 18 months and says the contests have helped her to build confidence and raise money for good causes.

Lydia’s mother, Rhonda Robinson, said the family were thrilled with her success at Miss Teen Great Britain and said the competitions were helping to instil contestants like her daughter with good values.

The Darlington teenager, who devotes many of her weekends to preparing for and competing in pageants, added: “When I first started, I was really nervous but I now enjoy it and I really like raising money for charity. It has changed me as a person, I’m doing a lot more for the community and I love it.”