SUPPORTERS and shoppers whooped and cheered as the 40 semi-finalists in the Evening Post competition to find Bristol's Next Top Model took to the catwalk at The Mall, Cribbs Causeway.

The aspiring models paraded in front of a panel of four judges, who then announced the 16 who will go forward to the grand final next month.

The 16 finalists: Front row, from left, Victoria Thompson, Anna Ludwig, Hannah Watson, Varity Everett, Alex Dane. Middle Row. Christopher Lee, Jonathan McEachern, Marina Dean-Francis, Kerry-Ann Waison, Ashley Rogers, Marcell Gottshalk. Back row, Lee Matthews, Paul Selway, Dorota Coates, Ashley Le-House Reuben, Zenga Lebo.

Eight girls and eight boys will be in the spotlight on September 18 for the deciding round, to be held in the @Bristol complex.

Before then, the 16 finalists will have their own photo shoots around Bristol.

The competition is being run in association with Bristol's Mustard Model Agency and Bristol Fashion Week at The Mall, Cribbs Causeway.

The semi-finalists were chosen partly by Evening Post readers and partly by the judges.

Jenny Clark, of Mustard Models, said: "We were looking for finalists who were strong on the catwalk but their personalities had to shine through. It was a very difficult decision."

Jenny was joined on the panel by Steve Durrant, of SAKS hair salon, The Mall's marketing manager Maria Crayton and Jo Cook, head of telesales advertising at the Evening Post.

The best boy and best girl chosen will win a year's contract with Mustard Models and their first job will see them back on the catwalk at The Mall, Cribbs Causeway, as part of Bristol Fashion Week, which runs from September 22-26.

Among the finalists were Anna Ludwig, 18, of Somerby Close, Bradley Stoke, and Alex Dane, 19, of Merlin Park, Portishead.

Anna has just completed her A-levels at Red Maids School and is hoping to go to university to study psychology.

She said: "I was incredibly nervous and excited. I've done some casual photoshoots before and people said I should go in for the competition, so I did."

Alex enjoys acting and has worked behind the scenes at the BBC on work experience.

She said: "I'm never nervous when I'm in a play but here there were so many people watching."

Marcell Gottshalk, 28, of Easton, has just graduated from university in multi-media computing and is a singer-songwriter in his spare time.

He said: "I've always had a passion for fashion and modelling but I've not done anything like this before."

Roofer Lee Matthews, 21, of Bradley Stoke, was inspired to take part by last year's winning guy, Chris Kite, who he knows through playing football.

He said: "I was going to enter last year but didn't and then when Chris won, I thought if he can do it, so can I."

The eight girls going forward to the final are: Verity Everett, 21, of Berkeley; Alex Dane, 19, of Portishead; Anna Ludwig, 18, of Bradley Stoke; Hannah Watson, 22, of Alveston; Kerry-Ann Waison , 20, of Oldbury Court; Marina Dean-Francis, 24, of Clevedon; Victoria Thompson, 19, of Severn Beach, and Dorota Coates, 23, of Bath.

The eight boys selected are: Zenga Lebo, 21, of Redfield; Ashley Rogers, 24, of Hanham; Ashley Le-House Reuben, 21, of Easton; Paul Selway, 22, of Patchway; Jonathan McEachern, 19, of Thornbury; Lee Matthews, 21, of Bradley Stoke; Christopher Lee, 21, of Kingswood, and Marcell Gottshalk, 28, of Easton.

To find out more about the competition, visit thisisbristol.co.uk/bntm10.