THE year ahead looks set to be a memorable one for Victoria Allard after being crowned Miss Great Yarmouth and Gorleston.After much deliberation judges voted 18 year old Victoria the winner of the title from the 10 finalists at the Priory Centre on Saturday night.

THE year ahead looks set to be a memorable one for Victoria Allard after being crowned Miss Great Yarmouth and Gorleston.

After much deliberation judges voted 18 year old Victoria the winner of the title from the 10 finalists at the Priory Centre on Saturday night.

Now the former Lynn Grove High School pupil is looking forward to being a glamorous ambassador for the town for the next 12 months. Victoria also won a six month modelling contract, �100 in Debenhams vouchers and a professional photography portfolio.

The night included catwalk shows organised by Matalan and Debenhams featuring the girls, who were all interviewed on stage.

Currently on a gap year, Victoria has a place at university to study drama and dance and is hoping to become an actress.

Appropriately for someone hoping to see her name in lights, Victoria made her debut as Miss Great Yarmouth switching on the town's Christmas illuminations on Wednesday.

She said: “I feel really privileged to be Miss Great Yarmouth and Gorleston and hope to be an inspiration to the community. I love being on the stage and performing and it was nice to get my opinions and views across during the interview.

“I am looking forward to going to functions and being involved in the community and it is a great opportunity to help Cancer Research raise a lot of money.”

Decorator Lizzy Dess, 22, from Yarmouth was runner up with nursery nurse, Roseanna Kyriacou, 21, from Yarmouth third.

The competition was organised by the Yarmouth branch of Cancer Research UK, with support from Warband UK battle re-enactment society, Anglia Copy and Print, Avocet Trading and B&Q.

All the finalists received a glamorous makeover for the evening from Headrush hair salon and TLC Beauty Clinic in Yarmouth along with Debenhams goodie bags.

Miss Great Yarmouth and Gorleston will attend a year-long diary of charity fundraisers, public events and private functions accompanied by a Viking guard of honour from Warband UK.

Warband UK president Jason Eldred said: “We hope to make the event bigger and better next year with a larger judging panel and more charities involved. Over the next year with Miss Great Yarmouth and Gorleston involved in so many events the profile of the competition should increase substantially.”