GOOD genes and the ability to strike a pose certainly run in the Franklin family.

Lauren, 16, of Chestnut Avenue, Great Notley, has been selected as a finalist for the Top Model UK competition and she credits her mum for helping her success.

Her mum, Tracie, was a model in the Eighties and flew all over the world, hanging out with celebrities such as Julian Lennon and George Best.

Lauren, who is studying for the international baccalaureate diploma at Braintree Sixth Form, was spotted by model talent scouts at the Clothes Show in Birmingham last month.

Lauren, said: “The reason I wanted to get into modelling was because of my mum.

“Listening to her talk about being a model in the Eighties, it makes me want to live my life like her and have all of those stories to tell my children.

“For me, modelling is another extension of the fashion industry that I want to get into. I am 5ft 7ins, so I probably won’t do a lot of catwalk modelling because I’m too short.

“But I will hopefully go into commercial and beauty modelling and eventually I hope to go into fashion journalism.”

For Tracie, coming second in the Miss Northern Ireland competition in 1983, at the age of 17, kick-started her career.

Tracie, now 45, said: “After the competition I got a modelling contract with an agency in Baker Street, London. I had grown up in a small town near Belfast and moving to the city was a massive shock, but I soon got into the lifestyle.

“It was a very exciting time to be a young working model in London and my job was so interesting and varied. I am only 5 ft 6ins tall, so I couldn’t get a lot of fashion modelling work, but I did beauty and promotion work. I did a music video for John Parr and also worked on the door of a very exclusive bar in Mayfair and met famous people such as Julian Lennon and George Best.”

After her modelling career, Tracie followed her passion for fashion design and set up the fashion label Real Clothing with her husband Julian, which is now stocked in Quandrant stores across the UK.

The mother-of-three has high hopes for Lauren.

Tracie says: “Lauren is totally focused and ready to do this. I tell her not to miss an opportunity. She may not have a long modelling career but she will meet a lot of interesting people and have an amazing time.

“I give her advice on how to behave on shoots and how to be professional. I have gone to a couple of jobs with her but she needs to do more herself. I think it is important to have independence.”

To vote for Lauren, visit www.topmodeluk.com or text “model UK31” to 88008. Texts cost £1 – which goes to charity, Children with Leukaemia – plus standard nework charges.