Millions of viewers have watched schoolgirl Elizabeth Edwards sashay her way to stardom after reaching the final of a television competition.

The sporty 16-year-old is the youngest picked from thousands of hopefuls to reach the last five in Channel 4's catwalk challenge Model Behaviour.

But the wannabe supermodel has revealed how her catwalk to fame almost ended before it had started when she did something Kate Moss et al would find unthinkable.

Horrified by the size of the queue trailing around the outside of the audition rooms, Elizabeth, of Ashurstwood, near East Grinstead, decided to go off for a spot of lunch.

Now the girls are vying for the top prize, a contract with Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell's agency Premier Model Management.

Elizabeth, a pupil at the Michael Hall Steiner School in Forest Row, is living in a shared house in London with the four other hopefuls as they perfect their looks, their attitude and pouts for the final.

She said: "I've always wanted to be a model and I heard about the show so I just decided to have a go. I was more interested in finding out what the auditions were like but ended up going quite a bit further.

"When I arrived at Blackfriars, the queue was absolutely huge. I went off for a bit of lunch and had a look round the shops. I came back at about 3pm and the queue was much shorter by then so I decided to join it. I was the last person to be picked from the last audition."

She was one of 30 girls invited back the following day and made the final five after chatting to judges and showing off her 33-26-35 figure in hot pants and a sparkly top.

She said: "When I rang my mum to tell her I was through, she was really happy.

"I hadn't dared tell my dad it was all going to be on television but he was fine about it."

Viewers will watch as the five girls are put through their paces living the lives of professional models until the final show next month.

Elizabeth has taken three months off school to take part in the challenge.

Her best friend, Anna Loughery, is acting as her agent, separating fact from fiction about the classmate who is suddenly the centre of attention.

Elizabeth said: "It doesn't matter to me if I don't win. To be picked in the top five from thousands of girls all over the country is a pretty amazing feeling.

"I'd love to be a model but I've got other plans for my life. I don't want to be one of those people who just has 15 minutes of fame. I want to achieve my goals."

She has already picked up one of the most important lessons from rubbing shoulders with her showbiz pals - a new-found philosophy.

She said: "It's a bit cheesy but I think to be a model you have to have looks and a good body. To be a supermodel you have to have personality."

A spokeswoman for the show said: "So far, Elizabeth has appeared very calm and unfazed by the whole process. She certainly hasn't given anything away if she is feeling the pressure. But despite being sporty, her catwalk style still needs a lot of work."

The other girls chosen are Alicia Bostock, 18, Chermaine Murphy, 17, Patricia Sheehan, 17, and Maisie Waller, 17.

Model Behaviour is shown on Wednesday at 6pm and Friday at 6.30pm.