Wigan schoolgirl heads to New York for huge fashion show

Emily Morris can barely contain her excitement ahead of her trip to the Big Apple, which comes as part of her role as one of Wigan’s reigning pageant champions.

The five-year-old, from Beech Hill, will be taking part in a huge catwalk show as part of New York Fashion Week, which starts in February.

Proud mum Whitney, who will be taking Emily to New York, said: “She’s not stopped telling everyone at school!

“She is full of confidence, we are hoping it opens doors for her.

“She likes the fashion side of things, and she likes being in front of cameras – she loves the attention.”

She added: “She’s quite excited. It’ll do her some good to get away and do something she really enjoys.”

And following her big moment on the catwalk, Whitney will be taking Emily to see the theatre production of her favourite film, Frozen, which is currently performing on Broadway.

Emily has previously raised money for charities including Wigan and Leigh Hospice, and has also gathered clothing donations to give to the homeless to keep them warm during the winter.

“She always likes doing it,” said Whitney.

“Whenever she sees someone on the street she asks to give them money or to get them a drink.”

And in doing so, she followed in the footsteps of her older sister Amelia, who died in 2017 at just four-years-old.

During her short life, Amelia touched countless hearts with her bravery and her family’s determination to make every single day count. She was born with a rare genetic disorder and passed away in her mother’s arms.

She suffered with Tay-Sachs disease, which affects the brain signals and causes seizures and mobility problems, since her birth in 2012.

Sadly there is no cure for the disease, which carries a life expectancy of two to four years.

It is an extremely rare genetic disorder, which causes the deterioration of mental and physical abilities.

Despite this, Amelia won both the best dressed and Miss Popularity categories in the 2017 Miss Wigan competition, a pageant for youngsters which raises funds for Wigan And Leigh Hospice.

She inspired her younger sister to follow in her pageant footsteps, winning the Little Miss Northwest crown, before going on to win Amelia’s former title of Miss Wigan, which presented her with the opportunity to visit New York.