Bullies' victim finds life can be beautiful

Nov 17 2008 By Ed Saunt, Staines News

For Jenny Hazell the route from bullies' victim to the Miss England contestant has been a long one.

But the former Ashford High School pupil has had the boys swooning since she reached the quarterfinals of the national competition.

Jenny, who was born in New Jersey in the US, moved to England and to Staines with her grandmother Gloria Hazell when she was eight and has lived in the town since.

She said: "I think I was bullied for just being American, and different."

But now hopeful lads will have to keep their hands off, as Jenny, 19, is happier than ever living with her 23-year-old fiancé Jason Armstrong.

Voting for the quarter-final opened on Friday and Jenny hopes her friends, family and newly-acquired fans get on the web, text and phone to carry her through to the semi-final.

She said: "I was bullied quite badly at school. I never felt pretty or talented at anything and now I want to prove to everyone that I can be successful.

"School was awful. I don't think I could have done this when I was at secondary school, but now people accept me for what I am and that makes me happy.

"The minute I tell people I am in this competition, they want to talk to me. They always say: 'I can't believe I'm talking to a Miss England contestant'."

The St Mary's University drama student, of Worple Road, Staines, does not see modelling as her future but a way to raise her profile in her bid to forge a career as an actor. And she seems to be making a good job of it as she already has 100 members of her Miss England campaign group on networking site Facebook.

"My friends and family have been great and it's nice to have the support on Facebook.

"Obviously Jason has found it hard because when I tell guys I am doing the Miss England competition I get a lot of attention, but he has been so good about it."

* To vote for Jenny, text Jenny Hazell to 84205, call 0901 656 1500 (calls cost 60p) or visit http://www.missengland.info/region-als/photoheat2