Tracey's on the catwalk

Tracey Campbell says she’s still in a state of shock after being named Miss Borders Elegance 2022, on her way to taking on 29 other women aged 30-44 across the UK for the Miss British Isles Elegance title next month.

The finalists have been whittled down from hundreds of entries.

She told us: “I was just posting some selfies to my Instagram and I saw this ad for a modelling competition, and decided to enter it.

"I didn’t think anything of it, until I was emailed asking more questions, and I sent a few more pictures and before I knew it I was in the final.

"I’m kind of in shock, but it’s a happy shock.

"It’s happened so quickly and I’m still in a bit of shock.”

Tracey, who is from London, moved to Hawick 14 years ago.

However, the route to fame hasn’t been easy for Tracey, who was involved in a hot air balloon crash when working abroad in 2010, in which she suffered injuries to her back and hips, leaving her with a degenerative, irreversible damage to her lumbar spine and hips.

She said: “Because of my disability, I won’t be confidently strutting the catwalk like the other ladies.

"I am who I am, and I can only do what I can do.

"However, I’ll have the honour of being escorted by last year’s winning contestant. It’ll be a dream come true if I can bring the crown to the Borders.

"The organisers have told me I was the first person from the region to enter the competition, so I hope I will be able to inspire others to enter in the future, so I can hand on the title.”

Tracey says it’s not like a beauty pageant, as it’s a modelling competition.

The winner will get to keep her title for a year, and prizes include a modelling contract and the chance to travel abroad for photoshoots.

She says her family – her partner Phil Holden-Rushworth and kids aged 9-19 – are supporting her throughout.

She told us she has a particular plan in place ahead of the event on September 9 in Chester … having Saltires painted on her nails at a local Hawick salon.