A 16-year-oldteenager from Yorkshire is enjoying success as a model after being wheelchair bound for over a year.
Holly Whaling, from Cleakheaton in Kirklees, taught herself to walk again - now she's preparing to walk the catwalk in a national modelling competition.
She suffers from a condition called joint hypermobility, which causes pain and stiffness from having very flexible joints. A keen gymnast and dancer for years, she was suddenly stopped in her tracks by the syndrome which left her in a wheelchair for over a year.
Forced to give up her active lifestyle because of her condition, Holly started doing some amateur modelling from her wheelchair and playing with sitting down poses and found that she enjoyed it.
She had an operation in 2019 and was left fearing that she'd never walk again after it was unsuccessful.
However, following a second surgery on her legs, she started to become more mobile and managed to teach herself to walk again with the help of crutches.
Image: SWNS
It was at this point in her recovery that she discovered she had made it into the final of the Teen Top Model Girl UK 2021 modelling competition - something that strongly motivated her to not only master walking, but also to perfect her catwalk strut ahead of the final.
According to Holly, it provided all the motivation she needed to persevere with the slow and often frustrating process of learning to walk again.
Now, with just a few weeks to go, she's finally able to walk unsupported - and says that no matter the outcome in the competition she feels like a winner for her achievements.
Speaking to the YEP, she said: "I couldn't even stand up at the start of this year - I've come a long way.
"I've not even competed yet but I'm already so proud of myself - but I can't wait to walk the catwalk, which is what I'm most excited for."
Feature image -SWNS.
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Leeds Bradford Airport set for complete ‘shutdown’ as 130 workers go on strike
Leeds Bradford Airport is set for a standstill as almost 130 workers are set to take industrial action over pay.
If you're planning on catching a flight from Leeds Bradford Airport, then you may want to double check the date.
The Unite members planning on going on strike are a mixture of air traffic control workers, customer experience staff, security staff and cleaners.
The workers involved in the dispute have recently come out of a four-year pay deal, with some of the departments having fallen behind other airports in equivalent roles.
Pay talks have been happening since December 2025, with the airport's formal offer not going far enough to address the lack of pay parity.
Strikes will take place from 03:00 Friday 16 October to 06:00 Sunday 18 October for hourly paid staff and from 06:00 Friday 16 October to 06:00 Sunday 18 October for air traffic control workers.
Strike will mean the entire airport will shut down.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Leeds Bradford Airport is very profitable and can more than afford to come back to the table with an offer that doesn't fall short of our members' expectations.
"Our hardworking members should not be paid less than those doing the same jobs at other airports. Workers taking action at Leeds Bradford Airport have Unite's full support in their fight for fairer pay."
Unite regional officer Neil Whitaker said: "We know people who have flights planned to and from Leeds Bradford Airport will be concerned to hear of industrial action, however our members have no choice but to strike.
"The airport is profitable, passenger numbers are growing and our members are a major part of its success. They deserve a fair pay rise, and management must come back to the table to deliver this."
Leeds pizza shop hailed ‘exceptional’ and ‘best in the UK’ by major reviewer
Clementine Hall
A Leeds pizza takeaway has received a glowing review from popular review duo.
Edges Pizza opened up their first permanent spot in Leeds back in June this year, after making a name for themselves slinging out pizzas at multiple pop-ups across the city.
Owners Grace and Edge from Harrogate opened Edges Pizza two years ago, taking inspiration from trips to New York over the years.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Their pizzas are a love letter to the class New York slice, think thin and crispy rather than chewy and floppy. But above all else, think absolutely delicious.
And now, they've caught the attention of a major review page, with Bite Twice Food Reviews (a page with almost 300k followers) paying Edges a visit.
The food review duo of Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany popped up in Holbeck beneath the arches to get their hands on a pizza, and the outcome is brilliant.
In the video, Bite Twice said that the pizza is 'f**cking exceptional' and up there with 'one of the best pizzas in the UK'.
Before even taking a bite, they said: "On aesthetic, I don't think anywhere in the UK is doing pizza like this".
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Then after the first bite, they go on to say: "There are very few pizzas in the UK that create this, I’m a little bit blown away".
As Londoners themselves, they go on to say that Edges is 'easily hitting with the best that we’ve got down south'.
And if that's not high praise enough, they sign off the video saying: "Leeds has got an absolute gem. I give this a stamp so hard my foot went through the pizza. Edges. Don Level."
Georgina Pellant -
10th September 2021 
