ONE of the 20 finalists in this year’s Miss York contest has told how her young brother’s successful battle with cancer has been her inspiration.

Victoria Newton, 22, embarked on a career with Macmillan Cancer Research after seeing her brother Tom, 15, successfully undergo surgery to remove a kidney with a tumour when he was only two years old.

Victoria, of Main Street, Helperby, said she wanted to use her success so far in the Miss York competition to further her fundraising.

She said: “I wasn’t expecting to get through because I have never done modelling, but the good thing about Miss York is that they focus on charity and fundraising and there’s more to it than looking pretty.

“The winner gets to go straight through to Miss England which would be amazing. It’s a great way to reach more people.”

Victoria will join fellow contestants hoping to be crowned Miss York when they step out before judges at The Royal York Hotel on Sunday afternoon.