28 glittering scenes which celebrate the best of Miss Blackpool - empowering women through a generation in the 90s and 00s

They capture precious memories of joy and elation but it was never an easy process. It took heat after heat of auditions to land a coveted spot in the grand finals - it was always a tense and emotional time.

At the height of their success, Blackpool's natural beach side location gave prominence as a key place to host decades of beauty contests.

Although their popularity has dipped since the aspiring days which attracted hundreds of entrants, the contests are still going strong, acting as springboards to launch careers with a shift from simply who's the prettiest to celebrating personal achievement.

Much like our Lionesses did on the football pitch on Sunday, swooping to Euro victory - Miss Blackpool, Miss Great Britain and other beauty contests continue to empower women to be their absolute best.

In case you missed them: 27 Blackpool landladies you might remember from the town's pubs in the 90s and 00s

32 scenes from nights out at Blackpool Queen Street bars and clubs through the 90s, 00s and 10s - including Walkabout and Funny Girls

23 photos of Blackpool and the town centre in the 1980s

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