A TEENAGER from Bradford, who participates in beauty pageants, is aiming to finally achieve her American dream this summer.

Tyersal resident Aimee Hoang, 16, was crowned Royal International Miss UK Junior Teen in February 2020 which meant she would have been able to represent her nation at a competition in Orlando, Florida in the July.

The pandemic put paid to those plans, however, with the vaccine program in full flow, the Bradford Academy pupil is hopeful she get across the pond this year.

Aimee said: “The event involves countries from all around the world so I want to go so bad.

“If we could have travelled (last year) we would have been alright if testing was in place, but we weren’t allowed to.

“I want to say we are going this time but I am not 100%. My goal is to win those internationals.”

The last time Aimee’s mum, Tanya Newlove, spoke to the T&A was when her daughter was on the brink of reaching the Miss Junior Teen GB finals.

Unfortunately, she failed to make the top 15 in that competition but that did not seem to damage her confidence.

“It didn’t phase her at all,” said Tanya. “She wanted to go straight back into it and do it again.

“She has got that mental mindset that it is not the end of the world if you don’t win.”

Aimee adopted the same attitude when she was unable to travel to the once in a lifetime trip stateside.

“She kept her spirits up and just kept chatting to the other (pageant) girls. They were all bothered but there was nothing they could do so they just had to get on with it.”

Mental health charity Mind is the cause Aimee has chosen to support when entering the pageants over the years raising hundreds of pounds in the process.

Tanya continued: “You go there to make friends and raise money for your charity.

“You sign-up by sending in a picture. On the morning (of the event), you do your rehearsals then your walk outs on the stage in the afternoon.

“You do it in your age category. You do your hair and your make up or sometimes somebody else does it.

“The younger ones are not allowed to get their hair or make up done, it is only pre-teen and above.

“Everybody has got their misconceptions about pageants, they think it is only for pretty and skinny girls but it is not like that.

“That’s not what I have witnessed, everybody is just lovely.

“They all boost each others confidence and do it for their own charities as well.”