A TAUNTON mum has brought a crown back to Taunton after winning a national title.

Dionne John took the honours in the grand final of Miss Atlantic United Kingdom 2022 on Saturday (April 23) at the Radlett Centre in Hertfordshire.

Dionne, who has been competing in pageants for five years, previously held the Mrs Taunton Atlantic title.

In the latest contest, she was best in fashion and swimwear and won the congeniality award for the most pleasant personality.

She also scooped the Making Waves In Pageantry award as the entrant who best understands the ethos of the Atlantic system.

Dionne, aged 43, said “My journey to Mrs Atlantic UK final has been incredible.

"Since I joined the system in December I have been busy with things like volunteering to help pack boxes of needed items to send to Ukraine at Compass.

"I have donated many bags of warm clothing to the local homeless shelter Taunton Open Door and collected hundreds of Easter eggs for the local children’s ward.

"At the end of 2021 I released a charity single featuring seven different pageant ladies and I am currently swimming 100 miles to raise money for MIND at the local Nuffield health gym.”

Dionne has now raised more than £10,000 for different charities by activities such as a 15,000 skydive and a firewalk.

She added: “Being an Atlantic queen means everything to me. I am so honoured to be representing such an incredible system.

"I am very excited for the year ahead with my sister queens and director and all the memories we will make together.

"It's a dream to be a part of a system that allows women to create opportunities for themselves and to grow in self-confidence.

"I hope me being a Mrs Atlantic United Kingdom Queen will inspire others that they can achieve anything they set their minds to.

"I would like to use my new title to further my platform of heart health awareness and have more defibrillators fitted in the allotments in our local community and nationally which could potentially save someone’s life.”

Dionne thanked her her daughter Keira, family, friends, her sponsors Izzy Stockton Bridal and Jack Turner, Go Create and the local community for their ongoing support .