A trainee hairdresser who was in the finals of the Miss England contest wants to set up a modelling agency for petite women.

Natalie Garner, 22, of Inkerman Street, Ashton, was named Miss Preston 2006 earlier this year and at 5ft 3ins she was one of the smallest finalists in the prestigious beauty contest.

Natalie, who works at Platinum Hair Salon, Ashton, stands well below the leggy heights of most of today's catwalk models, but thinks it is important for petite women to be able to do the same as their taller counterparts.

She said: "You look on the catwalk and you don't know what the clothes are going to look like on you because you're not as tall as the models.

"It think it's a unique idea and one that shops would be eager to take on because you have stores like Topshop that have petite ranges and it would be better to have it modelled by petite models."

She said she would be talking to one of the organisers of the Miss Preston competition in the next month to discuss what her next step would be and she said it could be possible she could be providing future petite models for the contest.

Natalie, who has also been offered catalogue modelling work, said: "I'm hoping it will be up and running in the next 12 months.

"I would like to be a role model for smaller people like me and help them realise that you don't have to be six foot tall to make it into the modelling world."

But Natalie, will start studying for an NVQ Level 3 qualification in September, at Blackpool and the Fylde College.

She would like continue being a hairdresser and could use her new skills on her models.

She said: "I don't want to give the hairdressing up because I really enjoy it but I could use those skills in the agency too.

"I think I have a totally unique idea and hopefully it will be successful."