A NORTHWICH hair stylists is gunning for glory after making it through to the finals of a national competition.

Rae Mann, from House of Quirk in High Street, will take on four talented stylists at the Wella Trendvision finals in London on September 4.

Rae, who lives in Wincham, made it through after impressing judges in the regional finals in May, which was held at the Hilton, in Deansgate, Manchester.

She was selected for the regional finals after submitting a photographic entry in the ‘creative vision’ category.

“The thought that I had even gotten to this stage had already blown me away and I was pretty nervous,” she said.

“With a competition that is so big within our industry I felt a lot of pressure, but equally so excited.”

Contestants were given one hour to transform their model, including the hair, make-up and outfit.

“That was the fastest hour of my life,” she said. “I just wish I could have had some time to watch at the creations the other contestants were bringing to life. I’m a bit of a hair geek.

“After that hour, whether you were finished or not, you could not touch your models hair, and all of us stylists had to leave the room whilst the judges stayed with our models.”

The second part of the competition saw the stylists present their work to the judges.

All of the stylists were given three minutes to talk about their concept.

“This was utter torture,” Rae said. “Picture a really small box room, with a table, the four judges, all sat down straight faced staring at you and then picture me, stood facing those faces, with my model in the corner to the right of me.

“I was just about breathing.”

Despite feeling the pressure, the judges were impressed with Rae’s work and selected her to go through to the final.

“It was very surreal to hear one of my favourite hairstylists Darren Ambrose call out my name to the stage,” she said.

“I am still pinching myself now.

"All I need now is to pull some things out of the bag and you never know, I could be competing against the rest of the world’s best.”