A FARMER’S daughter has been selected as a Miss Wales finalist in what will be her first-ever beauty pageant.

Manon Fflur Elias, 21, will represent Gwynedd at the annual competition in April after discovering her “inner self confidence”.

“I saw [former Miss Gwynedd winner Shonie Leah Williams] was scouting for Miss Wales contestants, and I thought ‘oh, I’m not a pageant girl, I haven’t got the stage confidence and that I wasn’t tall enough’,” explained Manon.

“I asked her about what it involved, though, as I’ve always dreamed about it but had never applied.­

“She told me all the amazing, exciting experiences you get to do and to meet such wonderful ladies around the whole of Wales. It got me so excited and made me so motivated to apply, so I did.

“The feeling I got when I received my email confirming that I was a Miss Wales finalist was one of pure ecstasy.

“I was so thrilled and overwhelmed that they selected me to join the team to represent my county.”

Manon, who works as a cashier, receptionist, TV extra and is trained as hairdresser and beauty therapist, lives on Hendre Cennin Isaf farm with her family and visited the Royal Welsh Winter Fair earlier this week to promote herself as a finalist.

The 21-year-old, who dreams of becoming an air hostess so she can travel the world, cannot wait to start fundraising as part of her bid for Miss Wales and to challenge herself in the process.

If she wins the title of Miss Wales, she will then go on to compete in Miss World.

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