Preparations for Norwich's two Miss England contestants have well and truly been stepped up ahead of next week's semi-finals.

Amy Spinks, 20, and Emma-Lee Hurst, 17, are both heading to Champneys Springs in Leicestershire on Monday, hoping to reach the final of Miss England 2011.

City College Norwich student Emma-Lee, from Bawdeswell, has been doing her best to impress this year's judges ahead of the semi-finals. She has been making use of the skills she has learned on her beauty therapy course at the college to raise money for one of the organisation's chosen charities.

She explained: 'I have already raised �222 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance. I raised the money by spending the day at Dereham Meeting Point, giving the ladies free professional nail polishes.

'I wanted to do something nice for people while raising the money. I had a wonderful day with the ladies and would like to thank them too.'

As well as contacting 100 local businesses to try and raise �1,000, Emma-Lee has also been demonstrating her passion for being economical by making a skirt and tie from ties donated by her old school, Reepham High.

She continued: 'This outfit needed to be bought from a charity shop, handed down from my family, borrowed or made from recycled material.

'I will have to talk about the source of my outfit in front of the judges and cameras on the day. I contacted my old headmaster, Mr Hassel, and year head, Mr Gibbs, at Reepham High School. I made a poster asking for my old male teachers to donate unwanted ties and my old female teachers to donate unwanted scarves.

'While at high school I was often reminded to wear my tie correctly so I thought this would be a funny twist!

'They were fantastic, I wrote to them on a Monday and they had a box ready to collect by the Friday!

'I made a summer skirt and top out of the ties.

'The only other material I used was a piece of red ribbon my Mum had kept. The whole outfit cost me the price of a reel of red cotton.'

The public voting lines are now open for the semi-finals and close at 9am on Monday.

Vote for Emma-Lee by texting '27Emma-Lee' to 84205 or call 09016 561599 and when prompted enter 27.

Or to vote for Amy text '13Amy' to 84205 or call 09016 561599 and when prompted enter 13.

More details are available at www.missengland.info/semi-finalists

Are you entering a high-profile competition? Contact David Freezer on 01603 772418 or email david.freezer@archant.co.uk