Top young hairdresser Gemma Hardie is hoping to prove she is a cut above the rest after winning through to the finals of a top national competition.

Ms Hardie, 22, who works for the Philosophy salon in Abingdon, will represent the Midlands region in the L'Oréal Young Colourist Award after triumphing in a tough regional heat.

She will be joined in the London finals on May 21 by Holly Rudge and Judith Handcock from the Indigo Rye salon in Wallingford who are competing in the Men's Image category.

Philosophy owner Mark Creed said: "Gemma is highly charged and full of energy. She has taken presentation courses, done plenty of research and practised hard. Everyone at the salon is very proud of her."

Victory for the Indigo Rye team could see the duo jetting over to New York to produce a photo spread for fashion bible Vogue.

Ms Rudge said: "It just goes to show that if you do the research and follow the brief, you have every chance of making it to the Grand Final and that's just what we've done."

Judge Dylan Bradshaw added: "It's always good to see the Midland's region raising the bar. There was some really interesting work on the floor making it a difficult competition to judge."