Ayrshire gran to make history as oldest Ms Great Britain contender

A 71-year-old Ayrshire woman is going to be the oldest ever contender in the Ms Great Britain contest next month.

Ann Marie Harper will take part in the competition in Leicester as it celebrates its 81st year.

It's after taking home the Ms Ayrshire GB Classic crown and if she wins this award, she'll be the first Scottish person to do so.

She said: “To be doing this at 71 is something I’m incredibly proud of.

“But I’m not going just to say I’ve done it. I’m competitive, I’m giving this everything I’ve got and I would absolutely love to bring that crown home to Scotland.

“To become the first Scottish woman to win Ms Great Britain Classic would be incredible. To do it at 71 would make it even more special.”

These achievements haven't come easily to her, growing up she faced a lot of different hurdles and was told by adults she would "amount to nothing".

She has built a successful career in the beauty industry and launched her own make-up brand in her 60s.

She added: "If you had told the younger me - the girl who was made to feel she wouldn’t amount to anything - that at 71 I’d be Ms Ayrshire GB Classic and preparing to compete on a national stage, I would never have believed you.

“That’s why this means so much more to me than putting on a dress and wearing a crown. It’s about everything it took to get here, and hopefully showing other women that your past - or your age - doesn’t dictate what happens next.

Representing Ayrshire at the national final makes me incredibly proud and knowing people back home are behind me means so much.

“I’m going to give it absolutely everything. I’ve already proved to myself that being 71 doesn’t mean slowing down. Now I’d quite like to prove that it doesn’t stop you winning either."

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