The 17-year-old, who is head chorister at Lavant House School, is aiming to impress judges and make it onto the shortlist of 20 for a beauty pageant at Fontwell Park Racecourse at the beginning of May.

And if she is successful, Carla hopes to use it as a springboard to enter auditions for television's X Factor programme in June.

"My friends encouraged me to enter the Miss West Sussex competition and I'm really hoping it can boost my confidence levels," said Carla.

"I hope to show it's about having talent and personality and not just about looks."

Carla is studying A-levels in English literature, maths, Spanish and history, and hopes to take a degree in Hispanic law.

But she is also a talented classical singer and pianist and would love the chance to one day perform in the West End.

She is no stranger to success on the stage, having reached the final of television's Let Me Entertain You .

The Bognor teenager scooped £2,000 for her performance of I Could Have Danced All Night from the musical My Fair Lady.

Carla said: "I enjoyed performing on television and I perform a lot at school. I get lost in the music – that's where I get all my confidence from."

The Observer has teamed up with Fontwell Park Racecourse to promote the Miss West Sussex competition.

Applications from women aged between 17 and 24 are now invited for the regional heat, which takes place at Fontwell on Friday, May 2.

Click here to read our first story on the Miss West Sussex competition.

Would-be contenders have until Monday, March 24 to complete their application.

The top 50 entries will be invited for auditions at Fontwell before a final 20 are selected for the beauty pageant.

This glamorous occasion will feature as part of a six-race meeting at Fontwell, with tribute bands Queen B and SO Blondie taking to the stage as part of a Party In The Park theme.

A distinguished judging panel will have the tough task of trimming down the selected 20 finalists before deciding on their winner.

The Miss West Sussex show will begin with a number of catwalk-style rounds plus a quick chat with each contestant – after which the judges will choose the top five contestants.

The final round will be an interview when each
contestant is asked a few short questions.

But before then Observer readers will get the chance to play their own special role in the contest.

More details about a texting and voucher system will be announced soon, but readers who vote for their top woman from the 20 selected entries can guarantee them a place in the top five on the night.

Miss West Sussex contest organiser senior commercial executive at Fontwell Park Racecourse Beccy Green said: "Miss West Sussex will have to prove herself to have more than just good looks.

"She will also be intelligent, charismatic and confident and be a kind, considerate person, able to communicate with people from all walks of life."

The woman crowned Miss West Sussex 2008 will progress to vie for the Miss England title at the end of June.

To download an application form click here.