A MISS England contestant who escaped a coercive relationship is making care packages to help other victims.

Alex Evangelou-Shingler, 23, from Wroughton has collected hundreds of useful items from toiletries to sanitary towels for women who need to flee domestic abuse.

And it’s because she understands what they are going through. She fell in love with a man who appeared kind and caring at first, buying her gifts, and then became controlling.

She said: “It started off as a very loving and caring relationship but a few months down the line he became very controlling. He became very jealous and wouldn’t let me use my phone, he would check what I was doing all the time. I was unable to see my family and friends, you just believe it’s okay because he loves you.

“It was extremely difficult to leave him, I had to quickly find a place to move into. He would stalk me and he found out where I lived so I had to move again.

“I want to make sure that people can escape it by supporting these charities, I want to help protect them. But it is hard for people to realise the abuse is happening.”

Now she is gaining her confidence back and changing her life by taking part in beauty pageants. She’s a semi-finalist in the Miss England contest and a finalist for Miss Midlands because she was born in Birmingham.

She said: “I did it for the first time back in 2018 when I saw an advert on Facebook.

“ It was just a way for me to get out and to meet new people and have my own friends and for me to gain the confidence that I’d lost many, many years ago.

One of the tasks for competitors competitors is raise money for charity. Alex chose Elle for Elle.

The Oxford Brookes student said: “I’ve done the main part of fundraising and I collected over 300 items for the packages. Even the Co-operative around the corner from my home donated £30 which was lovely. Another lady donated 100 packs of sanitary towels.

“My entire car was full to the brim of the donations made, I was so surprised by how many were given.”

The charity put together packages for women and families who are victims of abuse to get them started again.

“Pageants aren’t what people think it is, it’s not strutting around in a bikini and it’s not just about beauty, it’s about charity work and being involved in your community.

“I have the confidence now and I am able to walk down the street without fear.”

Elle for Elle collects body and haircare products as well as cosmetics to give to women and children living in refuges.