A young woman from Sudbury who has battled with an eating disorder has made it as finalist in the Miss London 2015 competition.

Hazel Satija, 25, has undergone over a decade of struggling with anorexia, depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder..

Despite being offered a place at Oxford University , the self employed artist was in one of the worst phases of her battles with her illnesses at the time so had to pass on her place.

She said: “This is the year in which I am strong enough to put myself forward in such a competition.

“I am so keen to help other young women to appreciate their inner and outer beauty and to realise their potential and to see that their intelligence, own unique talents and passions and kindness and selflessness and inner-strength is what makes them an even more attractive female.

“I want to help those with mental disabilities realise that it does get better if you fight and you fight hard. Dreams can be chased and you must always keep sight of them.

Miss Satija was crowned Miss Charity 2015, having raised almost £1,500 for Beauty with a Purpose, the official Miss World charity and St Christopher’s Hospice in n Sydeham, south east London.

The final takes place on Friday at the London Hippodrome.

Support her Instagram page at misshazelsatija.