A hairdresser competing in a beauty contest hopes to shine the light on body confidence – and says having a deformity due to childhood leukaemia won’t hold her back.

Sarah Hardcastle, 26, will compete in Miss Swimsuit UK 2018 in Newcastle on Friday.

The Kirkheaton woman said: “I had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia as a child, aged four to eight, which left me with a severe back and shoulder deformity.

“I have never been confident in my body because of my shoulder problem, but I have learnt to love myself as I’ve gotten older.

“I have entered Miss Swimsuit UK to prove to myself that I can do anything I set my mind to.

“I started going to the gym and working with my personal trainer, Adam Batchelor, and I have gained a strength I never knew I had, so I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and start to love my body.”

Sarah in training.

Entering a beauty contest is a first for Sarah and she added: “I have never done anything like this before it’s all completely new to me.

“I have been working hard training every day and doing sessions with my PT to get ready for Miss Swimsuit.

“By entering this competition I want to prove to people that you can do anything you set your mind to!

“And if you look different to other people it doesn’t matter, you have to be confident in who you are.

“I would love to win just to prove to myself I can be like everyone else, but honestly just being there and being a part of the show means a lot to me and being able to stand on that stage feeling normal like all the other girls will make me feel like a winner anyway.”

Sarah will strut her stuff on the stage facing four rounds, with modelling, photo shoots and filming thrown in too.