A beautiful mind

Ellie Darlington: extreme way to beat he anxieties

FOR Ellie Darlington, desperate times called for desperate measures.

To confront a sudden and extreme social anxiety disorder last year, the 21 year old has...entered this year’s Miss Manchester competition.

The decision came after months of missing lectures at Salford University, shying away from a social life and only going out with “safe” friends and family, the Shaw student admits the move is a “kick up the backside” to shake off the condition.

“I’ve always been a pretty confident person and loved going out but suddenly last year I started getting more nervous around people, worrying what they thought of me, whether I was smart or nice enough and how I looked,” said Ellie, who is in her final year of studies on human biology and infectious diseases.

“Everyone has been really understanding but it’s really affected my life. I’ve missed quite a bit of university so I don’t know how that will affect my final exams.

“I made a decision to bite the bullet and really try to kick the condition and my mum and dad suggested going for Miss Manchester. I thought if I got through and had to face some of the situations I would have to go through I could get through anything.”

Ellie, who has done catwalk modelling at wedding shows, is currently in the public text vote round which ends on Monday.

To vote for her, visit www.missmanchester.net and go to the “vote for contestants” page.