A BEAUTY pageant winner who was bullied for her appearance at school has been given a a confidence boost after taking home a sash.

Ashleigh Higgs, 23, was crowned Miss Personality at the Miss Brighton beauty pageant last weekend.

She told The Argus that the buzz she got from competing was something other people should get to experience, adding she wanted to show bullies they could not win.

Ashleigh, from Seaford, works as a water sampler for Southern Water and first met her fellow contestants at a casting in February.

When she received their votes for Miss Personality at the Sunday evening event at the Jury’s Inn Waterfront, it was the culmination of a process which had been quite transformative.

She said: “Since I was six it was always something I wanted to do.

“But I got bullied a lot at school, because I have a birthmark on my face.

“I go out more since I’ve done this competition, I go out with my birthmark showing without covering it up and it doesn’t bother me as much any more.

“I didn’t expect anything so it was great to walk away with something and to be able to help the charities as well.”

She said she would recommend the experience: “What I’d say to other girls thinking of doing is, it’s definitely worth it.

“There were so many different personalities and different girls. It’s great if you want to meet new people and feel good about yourself.

“I wanted to show girls, whatever imperfections you have you should pursue your dreams and show the bullies they can’t win.”

Ashleigh said that she had not expected to win anything at the pageant and was touched to have the support of her fellow contestants.

Isobel Mills was crowned Miss Brighton 2017, with second and third places going to to Christina Loizou and Lucy D’Agostino.

The winner of Miss Charity was Rebecca Kite, a Brighton bus driver who raised money by walking her entire bus route dressed as a princess.

Money raised has been donated to Amanda’s Angels, which funds brain cancer research, and the Connor Saunders Foundation.