TWO trainee hairdressers have had a brush with fame.

Annette Franklin, of Devizes, has scooped the top award in a college competition.

And 17-year-old Cassie Flippance styled hair in front of the Queen last month.

Miss Franklin, of Eleganz Hair Design in Long Street, fought off opposition from 12 other local trainees to take first prize in the annual KMS challenge shield.

The shield is a regional competition held for trainee hairdressers studying NVQ qualifications.

The 18-year-old former Devizes School pupil took first place in the 45-minute commercial cut and blow dry category of the contest, held at Chippenham Town Hall on May 20.

She won the shield for her cut on model Natasha Fern.

She was up against hairdressers from all around the county, in Marlborough and Melksham.

Miss Franklin, who spends one day a week studying for an NVQ level 2 at Chippenham College, has one month of training to go to become a fully qualified hairdresser.

Miss Flippance, who works at Images 2000 in Chippenham, was invited to take part in a fashion show at Bisham Abbey as part of the Queen's golden jubilee visit to Berkshire.

"It was really brilliant," she said. "I didn't get to talk to the Queen but I was very close to her. She looked nice but she was wearing a lot of make-up."

"I was really nervous but it was the best part of my hairdressing career so far.

"It was tiring because I was standing up all day and styling hair for the fashion show but I was really surprised when they asked me in the first place and I feel very lucky."

Miss Flippance was selected to take part after she came first in a competition in October run by the nationwide SPAN training scheme.