A FORMER Miss Pontypool is vying to bag a crown one last time, while she raises awareness of Multiple Sclerosis following her diagnosis.

After being crowned Pontypool carnival queen in 2005, Emma Corten - then aged 17 - went on to scoop Miss Earth and Miss UK, and made it to the finals of Miss Wales and Miss England - all within12 months.

Now 27, Miss Corten is a finalist in Miss Great Britain in what will be her final competition.

She said she believes the timing is right after being told the devastating news that she has Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a disease that affects the central nervous system, four years ago.

She said: “One morning I woke up with double vision every day for two weeks that would last for about an hour.

“Originally doctors thought it was a brain tumour, but it turned out to be MS and it hit me really hard.”

Miss Corten decided that she wouldn’t let her diagnosis hold her back and, just 24 hours before the competition was due to close, she submitted her application.

After moving from Pontypool to Cardiff earlier this year, the former West Monmouth School pupil won the local heat taking the Miss Cardiff title and is now in the running for Miss Great Britain.

She said: “Winning the title meant so much to me and I can’t wait for the finals in November.

“I hope that anyone who has MS will be inspired to not let it hold them back from achieving what they want.”

Miss Corten explained that she gave up a chance to go to university to become a primary school teacher to continue competing.

She wrote a column for The Pontypool Free Press on her experiences, which she described as a “whirlwind” – even jetting off to the Philippians with her Miss Earth title.

But she admits that at the time she didn’t appreciate the experience as much as she should.

Miss Corten, a receptionist, also appeared on the TV programme Snog, Marry, Avoid in 2011 and was in the final 30 to make it into the Big Brother house in 2010.

To support her, follow her Facebook page MissCardiff GreatBritain