A mum has spoken out against the image given to beauty pageants after her daughter won a top beauty title in America.

Halle-Blu Morrison, of Lightcliffe, defeated hundreds of contestants from around the world to take the Junior Miss Galaxy International crown.

The 12-year-old travelled to Orlando, Florida, to compete in the prestigious competition, and was the first ever girl from the UK to win the title. Her family tied in the trip with a holiday and used it as an excuse to go to Disney World.

Halle-Blu’s proud mum, Robyn, said: “The pageant Galaxy is the largest of its kind and it is an incredible achievement for a 12-year-old girl to win from the UK. The age range for her division was 12 to 14, and usually the older girls win.”

Halle-Blu won the UK National final in Chorley, Lancashire, in February and that qualified her to represent the UK in Florida.

She had wanted to take part after her mum won Mrs Galaxy UK. Robyn said: “I said no at first because I didn’t want her to grow up thinking just about how she looked, and I wanted her to concentrate on her school work and sporting activities.”

But she said Halle-Blu was very keen, and there was so much more to the pageants than just appearance. “It is not at all like it is presented on the reality television programme Toddlers and Tiaras,” said Robyn.

Halle-Blu Morrison, of Lightcliffe, wins Junior Miss Galaxy International in Florida

“Halle-Blu has raised thousands of pounds for her charities, and is currently supporting Home Farm Trust (HFT) for children with learning difficulties and The Christie cancer charity.

“The girls are judged on looks and personality, and there is an interview about what they do at school and their charity work. There is no bikini or swimsuit section. They wear big ballgowns, and their look has to be very natural in the younger divisions. They would be disqualified if they had anything fake such as hair, tans. nails or teeth. They can just wear a little make-up.”

Talented Halle-Blu, who is also an elite gymnast and National Champion cheerleader, will attend numerous national and international events over the next year as part of her Miss Galaxy reign. “She will go to various events at weekends and during the school holidays, and then she will travel back to America next year to hand over her crown and do some official engagements in the USA before then,” said Robyn.

Halle-Blu is a pupil at Hipperholme Grammar School, which awarded her a sports scholarship. She hopes to one day compete for England in the Olympics.

Halle-Blu Morrison with mum Robyn
Halle-Blu Morrison with mum Robyn

Robyn said her daughter’s school was very supportive and really proud of her. “They get her up on stage at assembly to show what she has won, and now some of her friends want to take part in the pageants too because they know it is not how it is presented on TV. Everyone is really positive about what she does,” she said.

Halle-Blu Morrison, of Lightcliffe, wins Junior Miss Galaxy International in Florida

Robyn, who runs Panache Cheerschool which has branches in Brighouse and Dewsbury, said: “Halle-Blu has been cheerleading since she was about two, and doing gymnastics since about four or five. The two go hand-in-hand and she has done so well in both of them.”

Halle-Blu’s dad, Glenn Morrison, is a former rugby player for Bradford Bulls and Wakefield Wildcats, and is now head coach for Dewsbury Rams.