FABULOUS Joanne Walker is this year's Bolton Evening News' Girl of the Year.

Blonde Jo scored almost 1,000 reader votes, pipping second favourite Lynsey Hayes to the crown.

Jo, a former fitness instructor who switched to teaching earlier this year was delighted to be selected. "I'm really looking forward to representing the BEN. I entered the old Miss Bolton beauty contest but didn't win so it's great to be chosen by the readers," she said.

Thousands of votes were cast in the contest to find our winner from almost 50 entries. Jo succeeds Millennium girl Kathryn Lucas.

For pictures of all the girls who entered this competition, including the 10 finalists, click on our Girl Of The Year file on the local news left link on the Home Page