A STUNNING Greenock girl has ‘Scot what it takes’ after reaching the finals of the country’s biggest beauty contest.

Catriona MacNee, who’s studying architecture at Strathclyde University, is one of 15 young women in the running for the Miss Scotland crown.

The 22-year-old, who lives in Hope Street with her fiancé Joseph, says it been a whirlwind.

She said: “I was just about to go to bed when I got the phone call to say that I’d reached the final.

“I was shocked.

“I’m very happy just to reach that stage, although  to go on and win would be pretty awesome. It would be a great opportunity to raise money for charity.

“That is a big driving force for me.”

Catriona was persuaded to enter the competition by her fiancé and her boss Barbara Raskin, who is mum to Natasha Raskin, one of the presenters on BBC’s Bargain Hunt.

Catriona added: “My boyfriend and Barbara kept saying to me to try modelling because of my height and my face. I did some work about three years ago and thought it was good fun.

“Barbara then encouraged me to go for Miss Scotland.

“I wasn’t one of the popular or pretty girls at school but Barbara kept saying to me ‘you’re beautiful, you should do it.” 

Catriona, who also works as an admin assistant at Rouken Glen Veterinary Surgery in Glasgow, where Barbara is practice manager, now has a string of photo shoots and public appearances lined up before the grand final.

She said: “The first shoot we did at the Catwalk Academy in Glasgow was great fun and we’ve also completed challenges for the contest.

“There was a sports one, a high intensity boxing-style circuits workout, which I really enjoyed because I like sports.”

The grand final is at the Hilton in Glasgow on August 24.

The winner of Miss Scotland will then have the exciting opportunity to represent the country at the 67th Miss World, to be held in China in December.

Catriona says her family, including her mum Carol, dad Jim and brother Jamie, 28, are all extremely proud of her achievement.

As part of her Miss Scotland campaign, Catriona is also raising money for ‘Big Hearted Scotland ‘.

To donate, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/catriona-macnee-1