Lewisham London Underground engineer in mission to be Miss England

Afrose Ameen, 23, spends her days surrounded by men on building sites and most recently helped construct the new Bond Street station on the Elizabeth Line.

She has now decided to ditch her TFL overalls to enter her first beauty pageant and hopes her new platform will inspire other women to get into male-dominated industries.

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Afrose said she would often be the only woman on site while she was working on the Elizabeth Line - which opened last May during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year.

And she revealed her industry is so male-oriented that on one internship the company had to build her a women’s toilet and had no gloves to fit her hands.

The Masters student has no previous modelling experience and was inspired to enter Miss England after learning it was about more than just a “pretty face."

Afrose, from Lewisham, South London, also hopes to join either the Navy or the Royal Marines as an engineer when the competition finishes.

The Tube worker, who is studying renewable energy engineering, said: “I've actually never done a pageant or modelling before.

“My friends and family suggested it, I wasn’t too sure. I don’t really love being photographed.

"Over the last year my opinion changed. I thought why not do it before I get old.

“I did get thrown into the deep end a bit, but everyone is lovely. There’s nice to know there’s more into it then who’s the prettiest.

“Miss England is the only one that I've been interested in. A lot of the others are more looks based.

“I definitely want to try and inspire women to get into different jobs.”

Afrose said she also got to meet The Queen after working on the new Tube line when the late monarch opened it last year.

She said: “I worked on the Elizabeth Line last year, I worked with the team who completed the Bond Street station. I got to meet the Queen.

"It was quite cool as all these people on the team had been working on it for seven years.

“It was commission engineering, electrical engineering. There was a lot to do with project management.

“More women should get into it. I am glad I have been given this opportunity. A lot of people are worried it might portray them as less feminine, but a job is a job.

“When I was working there I was often the only woman. It was mainly a lot of builders and engineers. I was often the only woman in 120 people.

“While I was working on an internship at a solar plant they had to build me an extra toilet, a temporary one as it was a site.

“When I was working on cross rail they didn’t have any gloves that would fit on a woman's hand.

"They don’t expect women as they aren’t used to it. Female representation is needed.

“It’s definitely what I want to get into engineering after university. I haven’t decided what sector.

“Over the past year or so I’ve been thinking about joining the Navy or Marines as an engineer. They recruit you as an officer straight away.

“There were stalls at a Coventry event. I'm more interested in the marines, you’re a soldier first. It's more physical “I'm still considering it based on what kind of offer they give me.

“Everyone loves it there that I've spoken to. I have friends in the marines. I wouldn’t say it’s super diverse. I'm used to it with engineering.”

Afrose has reached the Miss England semi final by competing in virtual heats and will compete at Viva Blackpool on October 16.

She added: “I'm confident in the pageant because there’s so many layers to it, I'm aiming to enter all the rounds.

"The benefits have been amazing. It's been a huge experience and a step out of my comfort zone.

“We're fundraising for two charities this year. A lot of girls do domestic abuse work.

“I was actually thinking to raise for climate action. There are a few charities that I have worked with previously as I'm a renewable engineer.”

For further details about the competitions visit www.missengland.info