The Oxfordshire beauty queen who grew up in a private zoo

Rheanna Cartier, 20, spent her childhood living in a private zoo near Oxfordshire which sparked her passion for conservation work.

She lived next to exotic birds and would wake-up before school to help feed the lemurs.

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The legal administrator from the Cotswolds is now in the final of the Eco Pageants UK and if she wins the title, she plans to use her platform to raise awareness for the endangered Amur Leopard.

She said: "I had the best childhood growing up in a zoo.

"It wasn't odd to me. It just felt like home.

"I would wake up to the sounds of the flamingos outside of my window, which was totally normal.

"Before school, I helped chop up the fruit to feed the lemurs. I used to make a fruit salad for them and one for myself.

"It definitely sparked my love for animals and conservation work."

She added: "I remember bringing friends over after school to visit lions, tigers, monkeys and hippos.

''It was wild for them but really an average day to me.

''I always really loved the leopards as they just seemed like massive house cats to me with all the same mannerisms.''

Rheanna's mum, Alex Bridgewater, 57, began working at the private zoo as a teenager and lived on site after training as a keeper.

She fell pregnant with Rheanna in 2002 and continued living there - raising her daughter while caring for the animals.

Rheanna and her family - including dad Steve, 68, and brother Robbie, 21 - lived at the zoo until she was 12 years old.

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The family eventually moved but Rheanna kept in touch with the staff.

When she turned 16, she started modelling and began exploring the world of beauty pageants.

She moved briefly to Guilford, London, entered Miss Great Britain and was placed third in Miss London in 2022.

"Entering pageants was so fun and it really boosted my confidence,'' she said.

"You get to choose something you're passionate about during your reign, and mine has always been about animals."

She has now set her sights on winning an Eco Pageants UK crown, which includes titles for Miss Earth England, Scotland and Wales, Miss Environment UK and Ms Eco Pageants UK.

Her chosen focus is environmental issues, especially raising awareness for Amur Leopards as they face immanent extinction.

The competition night will be held in August 2023 and if she wins, she will go on to represent Great Britain at the Miss Earth competition, in England and then in Vietnam.

She said: "As a finalist, I want to use my platform to promote and encourage people to go visit zoos."