Miss England winner sets sights on becoming rocket scientist after graduating with aerospace engineering degree

Miss England winner Jessica Gagen has added another impressive feat to the CV after graduating as a rocket scientist on her mission to become an astronaut. The 27-year-old graduated from university with a bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering just months after being crowned Miss England.

She became the first ever redhead winner of the prestigious beauty pageant in October last year and is also one of the favourites to take the Miss World crown. Jessica juggled competing on the catwalk alongside her studies at the University of Liverpool and was delighted when she graduated alongside course mates this week.

The model now wants to use her degree and beauty queen title to inspire the next generation of female engineers and get more women into STEM subjects. Jessica has already had to overcome being bullied for being ginger at school where she was was punched, spat at and even burned because of her red locks.

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And her university journey was also fraught with obstacles as she suffered insomnia and chest pains while combining her studies with being Miss England. Jessica, of Skelmersdale, said: "The journey to get to this point was a rocky five years in the making, and I faced challenges before I’d even began. I think it’s important that today’s youth know that sometimes things don’t go entirely to plan, and that’s perfectly okay.

"But I'm incredibly proud with what I have achieved. I don't think it's quite sunk in yet. Aerospace engineering was very challenging, covering topics like aerodynamics, structural mechanics, programming and advanced materials.

"It equips candidates with a range of skills sought after by different