A SCHOOLGIRL is now hitting the catwalk for huge brands after she was spotted at an airport waiting to jet off to Spain.

Ella Walker, from Billericay, said it has been about a year since she was waiting for her flight to Spain for a family holiday.

While wandering around the airport shops, she was spotted by a modelling agency who approached her and asked her to join.

Ella, 17, a pupil at Mayflower High School, had never previously had modelling experience - but now she is taking part in exciting fashion events for VSO Models.

She has to fly out to Scotland, where the agency is based, but says it is worth it.

She said: "I was just waiting to go on holiday with my family as our flight was delayed. I was with my mum, dad and little sister and it was really early in the morning.

"It was such a crazy thing to happen, I couldn't believe it. My family were really excited and my sister was saying it was amazing."

After checking everything was above board, she signed a contract.

She said she has taken part in a few performances before when she did a small amount of acting, but it was nothing compared to this.

Ella, of Oak Road, said: "London Fashion Week in particular is a really busy season. I spend a lot of my days going up to London and after school I will get on the train to go up there.

"It is quite difficult when you have got a lot of school work but it is so much fun. I do most of my school work on the train."

She is studying psychology at school after noticing changes needed to be made to mental health services.

She said: "When I was young I never really thought of being a model, but now when I think of it it's such an amazing job.

"It's so fun and you get to meet so many people, and do such crazy things."

As London Fashion Week has just finished, she is now focussing on castings for adverts, using her acting skills.

She said her days can be so varied and she may not know what she is doing until the last minute.

She said: "During London Fashion Week you will show up and will not know what you are doing or what you are wearing.

"The fashion would is crazy. I do the modelling part time for magazine blogs and adverts, for example for Essex Police."

She has received a lot of support from her mum Tracey, dad Phill and 14-year-old sister Evie.