Lancashire aerospace engineer competing to win Miss World in Mumbai

Jessica Gagen has reached the last eight finalists competing for the Miss World title.

An aerospace engineer is one of the favourites to win this year's Miss World after reaching the latter stages of the contest.

Jessica Gagen won the Miss England competition back in 2022 and is now competing in the global event in Mumbai, India.

The 27-year-old, from Skelmersdale, is using her high profile to encourage more women to get into science and engineering jobs.

Jessica said: "Obviously [with] Miss England, Miss World, people don’t expect the aerospace engineering to go with it.

"It really is drawing attention to it – a lot of people are like, wow, why would she do both? And it genuinely is because I can get more girls into the industry."

Miss World, with Jessica representing England, is taking place in Mumbai. Credit: Miss World

"I was always very interested in the vehicular movement in space," she added, "so not necessarily astronomy, but us getting to space.

“I want to go up to space and I want to conduct scientific research and help people on the ground.”

She said she was inspired to go to space after meeting British astronaut Tim Peake during her degree at the University of Liverpool.

Jessica won Miss England in 2022. Credit: Jessica Gagen

Part of Miss World involves contestants sharing their ideas for how to make the world a better place.

"It is quite tough in terms of the girls being absolutely incredible," Jessica told ITV News.

"Every single on of them is a role model in her own way and every single one of them is inspiring and represent so many different things.

Zoe Muldoon caught up with Jessica Gagen from Mumbai where the Miss World contest is taking place

"There are girls raising awareness for certain medical conditions, there are girls going into schools and helping children learn different languages. It is a huge field."

Jessica said she has a large support network in Skelmersdale and the community in Liverpool where she did her degree.

"I'm representing people who are so close to my heart and so many people that have been part of this journey with me."

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