TWO Preston College students are snipping their way to success after being picked as finalists in a national hairdressing competition.

Lucy Mills and Tracy Blackburn, both 18, will be competing against highly trained teams from top salons, Toni and Guy and Patrick Cameron, for the Guild Photo Stylist of the year 2001 award.

Hair stylist Lucy, of Farington Moss, Leyland, entered the competition to help her application for the University of Central Lancashire, where she hopes to study for a HND in Theatrical and Media Make-Up in the future.

She started at Preston College in 1999 and completed her NVQ Level II in beauty therapy before starting a Level II in hairdressing in January this year.

Lucy said: "I couldn't believe we had done so well at first. I saw my name on the list of finalists alongside Patrick Cameron and Toni and Guy and thought it was a joke!"

Fellow hairdresser Tracy, from St Annes, is about to finish her NVQ Level II in hairdressing at the St Vincent's Road college and hopes the competition success will help launch her career.

She said: "The competition win is an amazing boost as I would like to train with a top salon and go on to higher things.

"I didn't think there was a chance we'd win. I'm gobsmacked we got this far. We had joked about being up against Toni and Guy, and now we really are!"

This year's competition theme is High Street Fashion and judges include Southern Hairdresser of the Year, Tim Avory.

All finalists will receive prizes and the winners will be announced at Liverpool's Crowne Plaza Hotel on Sunday June 10.