PULSES were racing and temperatures soared as the search for this year's Miss Southampton came to a glamorous finale.

With an irresistible smile and a figure to make everyone's head turn, Joanne Jones the beautiful blonde from Hythe took the crown of Miss Southampton 2006.

The 18-year-old fashion design student was the judges' choice to represent the city from a selection of 18 stunning finalists who turned a city centre venue into the hottest place in town.

"I'm really surprised I won," said Joanne, who was sponsored in the event by Ocean Spa in Shirley, Southampton.

"I never expected to win and can't believe I was chosen out of all the girls here. I'm really happy to have won.

"It's been a really great experience and everybody has got on well and had a lot of fun," she said.

The hotly-contested beauty pageant saw the girls strut their stuff in a series of walks through the audience of the NV restaurant and cabaret lounge in Southampton's High Street.

As well as the sponsors' fashion and interview round, the budding beauty queens put on a fantastic fashion show, a glamorous formal evening wear round and a sexy swimsuit walk. Leaving single men throughout the building, while husbands and boyfriends will probably have to spend a fortune on flowers to begging for their partner's forgiveness after one too many excitable and longing looks at the female competition.

Among those judging the contest were Saint's players Marian Pahars and Kamil Kosowski.

"It was a very enjoyable evening and all the girls were quite beautiful. It was hard to choose from them," said Saints forward Pahars, who counted winner Joanne in his selection of favourites to win the contest.

Accompanying the footballers on the panel were Kamil Kosowski's girlfriend - the former Miss Poland - Roksana Jonek, Miss Southampton patron Kylie Perry, organiser Amie Cooper, Tracy Perry of AND magazine, and Sally Stemp and Natasha Hitchings from the designated charity, the Hampshire Autistic Society.

Former Miss Southampton winner Kylie Perry, who had the duty of crowning this year's best beauty, said: "It has been a fantastic show and there is so much potential here from many of the girls to do very well."

The runner-up prize in the contest went to Chloe Levitt, 19, from Romsey, while third place went to Anna Gilson, 21, from Gosport, and fourth place went to Elizabeth Mitchell from Warsash.

Collecting a special award for dedicated fundraising efforts for the Hampshire Autistic Society was 18-year-old Laura Hebdige from North Baddesley.

The part-time hair-stylist and barmaid raised more than £370 for the charity by collecting donations in local pubs and cutting hair in her night clothes at a salon in Bishopstoke.

"I'm really happy I've won," she said. "My family are really proud and excited for me."

Sally Stemp of Hampshire Autistic Society added: "All the girls were great and we are particularly proud of Laura who really put so much effort into her fundraising. As soon as she had the information about the contest she was on the phone to us asking for fundraising packs, and did very well to raise so much money."

Newly-crowned Joanne takes over from last year's Miss Southampton Debbie Clayton and will now enter the Miss England finals at Leicester in July with the hope of going to represent her country in the Miss World competition.