Miss Northern Ireland on song

Miss Northern Ireland has sung her way into the Miss World 2006 final by winning the competition's talent show.

Catherine Milligan, from Newtownards, stunned herself, fellow competitors and her family by winning the heat in Poland on Wednesday night.

"I cannot believe it, in my wildest dreams I never pictured myself standing here a winner. I am so proud," said Catherine, a 19-year-old veterinary student from Newtownards.

A spokesman for the competition said she put on "a show stopping performance" of the Irish ballad 'She moves through the fair'.

"Dressed in beaded green silk, Catherine stunned her fellow contestants and the audience of Wroclaw VIP's with her atmospheric performance," he said.

"The look on her face said it all when her name was called as winner of the Miss World 2006 Talent Show."

Winning the award will fast-track her through to the Miss World Grand Final in Warsaw on September 30 where she will join the final 16. Second place was taken by Miss Italy, a gymnast, with Miss Zimbabwe coming a close third with her traditional African click song.

The judging panel included Miss World 2005, Unnur Birna, international musical director Mike Dixon and Catherine's award was presented by the Mayor of Wroclaw.

Yesterday her mother, Anne, said Catherine was "absolutely gobsmacked" to win.

"She is a member of the Ulster Youth Choir and Belfast Philharmonic Choir, though not as a soloist," she said. "Catherine is having a great time in Poland meeting the girls from all the other countries. University College Dublin, where she is studying, has given her a year out to work as Miss Northern Ireland and she is just enjoying every minute of it."