A PRIMARY school girl is taking part in a beauty pageant to raise money for a children's cancer service.

Maisie Henderson, aged eight, is competing in the Miss Inspiration Final 2017 in Cranbrook, Exeter, in November.

As part of the entry criteria, Maisie, from Broomfield, is raising funds for Derrisford Children's Cancer Service with a cake sale at The Pavilion, Kingston St Mary, today (Thursday), from 1.30pm to 3pm.

She scooped the Little Miss Devon Beauty 2017 title and was judged best opening round, best personality and best evening round in her first ever pageant earlier this year, when the competitors raised a joint total of more than £3,500 for the Children's Hospice South West.

Her mother, Vicky, said: "The pageants offer girls an opportunity to get dressed up in several outfits and to raise awareness and money for charities in the run up to the event.

"Maisie is busy attending events, baking cakes and trying to raise as much money as possible for a worthy cause.

"She has two main passions in her life, one is showing her ponies at county level and the other is ballet dancing, which she does at Mount School of Dance in Taunton."

Maisie attended Kingston St Mary Primary School until the end of the school year and is joining her brother George at King's Hall in September.