A LEIGH gran-of-six has made it to the grand final of the Most Glamorous Grandmother of Great Britain Competition. June Carr, 64, of Hurst Street, Leigh dazzled judges with her blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes when she was selected to be one of the 10 northern area finalists.

Weekly heats had been held throughout the summer at five Grand Hotels.

Each weekly winner was then invited to an area final either in the North or South.

June took part in the northern final held at the Grand Metropole Hotel in Blackpool and will now go forward to the grand final next month.

A mum-of-two, June works as an assembly quality control worker at Volex cable manufacturers and is no stranger to the world of beauty pageants, having entered several over the years.

And she admits the glamour can be addictive: "I've been entering competitions for a few years now. My children encouraged me at first but now I go because I want to.

"You meet so many people and everyone is so nice. It's become a habit for me to enter because it's something to look forward to."

The Glamorous Grandmother competition was first started in 1957 at Butlins by Billy Butlin but was stopped in 1997.

However when Butlins was bought by the Grand Hotel Ltd Group the enduring glamour pagent for pensioners was reinstated this year.

"There never used to be anything for older people," said June. "I used to enter the competitions at Butlins and I am so glad they have been started again."

At the grand final June and her fellow contestants will be judged on their deportment, make up, hair, dress sense and personality.

"I feel honoured to be selected for the grand final but I am very nervous about it," said June. "During the contest you are interviewed on stage with a microphone and every time my mouth goes dry. At the northern area final I was so nervous I forgot some of the things I had planned to say." Modest June says she does not think she will win but says it will be a great experience whatever happens.

"All the previous winners of the competition are allowed to enter so I don't think I'll be in the top three. But I've already won £100. And we also get to stay five days in a Grand Hotel so it will be a splendid event."

Organisers expect to have several celebrities on the judging panel.

June has designed her own dress for the glittering final and is having it made in Leigh. Although she is keeping the dress under wraps she did reveal she will wear four-inch heels as she is only five feet tall.

June's children, Paul, 40 and Stuart, 35, and her six grandchildren are "thrilled to bits" with her success. She says her grandchildren love looking at photographs and newspaper clippings of their glamorous Gran.