Meet the super models!

6:18am Tuesday 6th May 2008

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The faces of Bradford's finest supermodel hopefuls have been revealed after an exciting contest.

The catwalks beckon for the lucky bunch who were crowned winners of the Telegraph & Argus Modelsearch competition 2008, held at the Kirkgate Centre in Bradford city centre yesterday.

Youngsters aged as young as four strutted and smiled their way along the catwalk, unfazed by the flash of the cameras and the excited crowds of parents and onlookers.

Ben Neale, 23, of East Bowling, Bradford, and Abigail Hoey, nine, of Shipley, were picked as the two overall winners and were rewarded with a year's free representation with Sheffield agency DK.

The model management firm supplies models to mobile phone companies, department stores and food companies.

Ben said: "I'm well happy, absolutely chuffed, it's been a great day. In the past I've sent my pictures off and got accepted but I've not had the money to put together a portfolio. Hopefully now I can have a career as a model."

An equally pleased Abigail said: "It's the third time I've entered. I'm really happy, I just like everything about modelling and I'd love to be a model."

Aaliyah Rothery, five, of Little Horton, Bradford, won the four-to-six category for girls and Dakarai Simpson, aged four, of Huddersfield, took the winning place for the boys.

His mother Sharlene Simpson said: "It's overwhelming, I didn't expect it at all. It was probably his dimples and his confidence - he's always loved the cameras."

The girls seven-to-ten category was shared between Lucie Carrucciu, ten, of East Bowling, Bradford, and Abigail Hoey.

Charlie Street, nine, of Heaton, Bradford, who is a pupil of Stardom School for Performing Arts, in Shelf, won for the boys.

His father Kevin Street said: "He's going from strength to strength. He's just finished playing the lead role of Jeremy in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Alhambra and filming a TV advert for Buckle My Shoe and now this."

The winner of the girls 11-to-15 category was Pareesha Trought, 12, of Bradford, and for the boys, Matthias Britton, 11, of Shipley.

In the 16-plus categories, Ben Neale and Rebecca Geldard, 20, of Keighley, scooped the prizes.

Category winners each picked up a £50 shopping voucher for the Kirkgate Centre; £100 for the 16-plus category, as well as a fashion photoshoot at the Kirkgate Centre, a CD of all the photos and a fashion portfolio.

Catherine Riley, a judge and manager of the Kirkgate Centre, said: "It's been a very, very strong field of entries this year and it's been incredibly difficult to pick the winners. They all have the potential to go on to big things."

Previous winners have modelled for the likes of Argos, Empire Stores and Vidal Sassoon.

Around 450 people entered the competition, with 117 competing in yesterday's finale.

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