A BRAVE teenage charity champion who has conquered the catwalk despite severe health problems is now set to make her mark on the boardroom.

Inverclyde Academy's Leah Canning, 17, who was given little chance of survival when she was born three months premature, impressed business leaders running a UK-wide competition.

She is the only school pupil from Scotland to make the final three of the massive enterprise contest.

Now the Miss Teen Scotland pageant queen is set to travel to London to claim her prize after outlining her outstanding vision to shape the world of enterprise.

Leah, from McLeod Street, Greenock said: "I can't believe I finished in third place. I was going to even enter because I didn't think I would stand a chance.

"I am very proud to be the only person representing Scotland. All my teachers were very proud when they heard.

"It does feel like quite an achievement and it was a real challenge. I had to write about my vision for enterprise in the future and what I had learned from being a managing director in the Young Enterprise programme."

Leah, who was recently told she had an unconditional offer to study business at university, represented her school last year in the Young Enterprise programme - but her dream is still to be a teacher

She said: "The programme changed everything. I still want to be a teacher but I also want to do business studies. I am delighted to have received an unconditional offer for university as well."

Leah will pour over all her options once she has finished her exams.

But she insists none of her achievements would be possible without discovering the life-changing pageant circuit.

In the last few years Leah has won a clutch of titles and credits it with building her confidence and helping her with public speaking.

As part of her pageantry she has also fronted charity campaigns like the STV Children's Appeal.

The Greenock school girl was born three months premature and her mum Lynette feared she wouldn't survive at all.

Leah beat all the odds but has faced a number of health problems ever since including hypermobility.

She will fly down to London in April to accept her award and cash prize from Telos Partners, based in London.