After entering her very first pageant filled with trepidation and more than a sprinkling of nerves, 19-year-old Megan Turnbull came away with the silver tiara.

The Barrhead dancer, who is a member of the Scottish Rockettes professional dance team, won The Miss Scotland Perfect title after being encouraged to enter it by her fellow dancers.

The event itself helps to raise awareness of racism, discrimination and bullying and is centred around natural beauty — that means no make-up.

A delighted Megan, said: “It wasn’t something that I had even considered doing before, but some of the girls on the team encouraged me to get involved, saying it really boosts confidence.

“When I actually started competing I was really surprised at how relaxed it all was.

“A lot of people think it is super serious and competitive, but it was actually very relaxed and all of the girls that I met were wonderful.

“They knew it was my first time to and they offered loads of advice and really tried to help me out.

“The best advice they gave me was to go out there and enjoy it.” The pageant itself involved five rounds, including an interview round, costume round, historical figure round, introduction round and an evening wear round.

The former Barrhead High School student said that the interview round was her favourite, because it allowed people to get to know her.

She said: “It meant that I was able to let people get to know me, and they asked us questions about how we hope to inspire people if we won and what we would be doing afterwards.

“They also asked us what we wanted to do when we graduated.” Megan hopes to go on to become an active schools co-ordinator or a PE teacher, saying: “You get to work with the kids and watch them grow and become better, with your guidance and help.

“It would be incredibly rewarding.” And when it all came down to the judge’s decision, she couldn’t believe it when her name was called out.

She said: “I just kept pointing at myself and looking at my boyfriend, I couldn’t believe that it was me and I kept asking if it was really me that they said.

“I didn’t really think I would win, it came as a complete shock.” Megan has been dancing for 14 years, and has been a member of the Scottish Rockettes for one season.

She hopes to raise awareness of racism, discrimination and bullying by visiting the kids in her former school of Barrhead High, and giving talks and speeches at fairs and community events.

She said: “It is a very important subject to me, and I think that many people need to change the way they look at things.

“I hope to speak to the younger people in the schools before they can be exposed to any ill informed views.”