THE daughter of Southend West MP David Amess has moved closer to representing the UK at the Miss Earth 2008 pageant.

Katie Amess, 22, from Westcliff, is off to Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, on Saturday for the national finals, hoping for a trip to the Philippines in October.

She said: “The semi-finals were in Chelsea. We had to deliver an environmental message. Mine was about recycling in schools. I think children should be taught the benefits of recycling while at school.”

As a warm-up, Miss Amess will be competing for the Miss Essex FM title at Liquid & Envy nightclub, on the Festival Leisure Park, Basildon, on Thursday.