Cherie Gardiner is Miss Northern Ireland 2009

Cherie Gardiner was crowned as Miss Northern Ireland 2009 in an event held at the Europa Hotel earlier this week. The beautiful seventeen year-old student from Bangor will go on to represent Northern Ireland at the Miss World 2009 pageant to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa and London in December later this year.

Gardiner stands 1.83 meters and she is a student at Glengola Collegiate in Bangor.

Crowd favourite, Francesca Pollock was declared the First Runner-up. Jenny Curran was Second Runner-up.

Why do crowd favourites always end up not winning the pageant? Just asking.

One of the judges, Ulster Apprentice star Ben Clarke, exclaimed that the new Miss Northern Ireland has what it takes to go on and become Miss World. We'll watch for that, right Ben?

Bangor Marina celebrates with Miss Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's largest marina has celebrated its 20th birthday with a little help from Miss Northern Ireland, Judith Wilson.

The beauty pageant winner was on hand to cut the cake at 450-berth Bangor Marina with Trevor Polly from North Down Borough Council and Andrew Jaggers from Quay Marinas, the site's operator.

Quay Marinas was recently awarded a 15-year extension to manage the marina, which holds the coveted Five Gold Anchor award from The Yacht Harbour Association and the European Blue Flag Award.