DO YOU dare to bare so you can become Southampton's official billboard babe?

Living has teamed up with skincare giants Dove to offer Daily Echo readers the exclusive chance to become a model in their latest campaign.

Eye-catching posters and adverts challenging traditional concepts of beauty have won many plaudits for Dove.

April 2005 will mark one year since the company launched its groundbreaking "real women" advertising campaign, featuring six ordinary women (pictured below) who bravely stripped down to their underwear. All too often women complain that the models used to promote beauty products are nothing more than stick-thin clothes horses.

But Dove has chosen women with real figures to champion its cause.

To mark the anniversary of its first campaign, Dove Firming has teamed up with Living to challenge real women who "dare to bare" in Hampshire to do the same and recreate the iconic image closer to home.

They are looking for an extrovert who wants to surprise their loved one by appearing as a 20ft high image on a billboard in the city.

"We are looking for someone from Southampton who is bold, confident with their body and up for the 'dare to bare' challenge," said a spokesman for Dove.

"Be it your partner, mother or best friend, we are looking for those of you who want to surprise someone special by appearing on a billboard in your underwear."

The lucky winner will be whisked to London for a photo-shoot by a top photographer to be shot in their underwear. The winner and a friend will also be treated to a special night out with £250 spending money.

"The winning billboard will be unveiled in their chosen location at the end of May

"So if you think you are up the challenge and want to 'dare to bare' as a surprise for someone special in your life then please get in touch," she said.

To enter all you need to do is send in a full length photograph of yourself and write down in no more than 50 words who you would like to surprise and why.

There are no height, size or race restrictions because Dove believes beauty comes in lots of different shapes and sizes.

Send your photo and your 50-word entry form (printed on page 22 of today's Daily Echo - March 1st 2005) to: Dove Local Dare to Bare Competition, Lexis PR, 8 Bolsover St, London, W1W 6AB, to arrive no later than March 18, 2005.