OLIVIA Treverton-Jones can thank her workmates for her place in the Miss Wales finals.

The 20-year-old Newport student was entered into the competition by her friends - and only discovered what they did after she made it through to this month's final.

She found out when she checked her voicemail after a diving holiday in the Costa del Sol.

"I just thought, 'Oh my God, what have you gone and done?'," Olivia said.

Culprits Sandra Blud, 49, and Darren Walsh, 24, both work with Olivia at Rosebys, Newport Retail Park.

They had some photographs of their workmate and sent them in.

Her close circle of friends had always told blonde Olivia to try her luck at the modelling world.

At 5ft 10in tall, she has the perfect catwalk height.

But Olivia was too busy thinking about her studies and career to do anything about it.

She said: "I never really thought it through because of my university commitments."

Olivia is currently studying Product Design and Engineering at the University of Wales, Institute of Cardiff.

She said: "When I graduate I hope to go off travelling and maybe do something with my degree when I get back."

As an experienced scuba-diver, Olivia also has the option of training as an instructor and teaching in abroad.

She went diving recently in Egypt, and said: "It was wonderful.

"We saw white tip reef sharks -- which were pretty scary. They were only about seven to 12 metres away."

If Olivia's nerves can handle Jaws, lining up with 19 other beauties in Cardiff on September 18 should not be a problem.

To start she must answer a series of questions put to her by the panel of judges.

Then Olivia will model sportswear, clubbing gear and an evening dress.

If Olivia is crowned Miss Wales she will embark on a four-week tour of China and will hopefully be put through to Miss World.

But whatever the outcome she has support from her family - mum Rosemarie, dad Guy and sisters, Francesca, 23, Philipa, 17, and 14-year-old Verity.

* Three other Gwent girls are hoping to steal the Miss Wales crown. They are: Lehanne Wells, 24, from Pontypool, Rachel Rice, 19, and Emma Shadbolt, 20, both from Cwmbran.