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Female builder Katie Stamps, 21, who is also a beauty queen
A 21-year-old construction site worker has swapped her hard hat for a tiara after being crowned a beauty queen champion to reach the finals of MISS ENGLAND.
Stunning Katie Stamps is more at home wearing high vis jackets than ball gowns due to her job working on building sites.
But last month the 5ft 9in beauty swapped the construction site for the catwalk to scoop the title of Miss Birmingham.
Katie, from Kidderminster, Worcs., beat off 19 other rivals on April 27 to take the crown sending her through to the Miss England finals next month.
She said she decided to enter herself in the pageant to bring a bit of glamour into her life after spending most of her days in temporary cabins on building sites.
Katie, whose measurements are 34-26-38, said: “I’m always in hard hats and high-vis jackets. I really love construction and I want more girls to get into it.
“It’s a shame it’s seen as such a man’s world and I find it very rewarding.
“I stumbled across the application online and thought it looked fun, and would be a good confidence boost to swap by hard hat for high heels.
“I never expected to win. My other half is away a lot so I thought it would be good to do something for me.
“Obviously it was so different from what I am used to. Being in the construction industry isn’t very ladylike and not very glamourous.
“Then when my name was called out meaning I had won I was so shocked I couldn’t move.
“The other contestants had to push me back out to the stage. I couldn’t believe it.
“People had suggested I tried modelling because of my height but I never pursued it as I’m happy with my current job.
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Katie with other girls as she wins the final of Miss Birmingham
“The men at work have been great and were very supportive of me winning. They think it’s quite funny.
“I would be happy to take it all the way though, I have been automatically entered into Miss England in June so I will see what happens with that.”
Katie was crowned Miss Birmingham following a glitzy competition at the city’s Crescent Theatre.
The process involved fund-raising for her nominated charity Variety Children’s Club, and an interview where contestants had to say how they would use the role of Miss Birmingham.
The girls paraded on stage in four outfits: an eco-dress they had made themselves, sportswear, an evening gown and a party dress.
Katie was supported on the night by her mum, Alex, 41, and step-dad, Steve Hall, 41, who were in the audience with two friends.
She has been an office manager for construction company Stepnell since she was 17-years-old.
Katie, who lives with boyfriend Peter Gibbs, 33, added: ‘In my job I don’t have much opportunity to look very glamorous but I love being able to get my hair done – it makes a nice change from being on the building site.”
Miss England competition director Angie Beasley said: “It is fantastic news that we are getting girls of this calibre through into the competition.
“I know when I was doing the competitions myself it was all about becoming a model.
“The fact the competition is attracting girls from all different backgrounds is great because is raises the competition and shows that girls want to so much more these days.”