Lifeguards…there’s just something about them. The female ones, I mean. I’ve got a pair up there myself and yet, a fit blonde in a red high cut swimsuit would definitely earn a lunchtime look over my hubby’s shoulder.
Enter Milla Magee, the current Miss England who stands at 6-feet and can be found floating around Newquay saving lives.
Now I get why CPR is so important.
“Being a lifeguard is not actually glamorous,” says Milla. I’m still not convinced. “It’s a serious job, you’re there to help people who may get into trouble, and there’s lots to do. Lifeguarding has been glamorised by TV shows like Baywatch, but the reality is at any point you may have to get into the water very quickly and pull someone to safety.”
Milla recalls the time she saved a life in Portugal and almost lost her crown. “I got caught in a rip that took me miles up the beach and crashed me into the rocks,” she says. “I had no control and it was terrifying. Getting caught in rips can be deadly and it’s so common. There have been many tragic accidents with holiday makers coming to Cornwall.”
No time for a Twister on the tower with this one then! When she’s not lifeguarding, she’s playing plastic police. “I wanted to enter Miss England to try and make a difference, there is a lot of misconception around pageants, and I want to show people that entering Miss England has given me purpose, and encouraged me to raise money for charity, and do good things for my local community,” she says. “From raising awareness about conservation and plastic pollution, to visiting our veterans and supporting the local charities, I have used my title to meet some amazing people that are all working so hard every day to make a difference.” Respect!
Single? Don’t worry if you can’t surf, just head down to Newquay and Milla will teach you. “My ideal man would have integrity and purpose, be kind and think of others, and make me laugh,” she says. “It doesn't matter if he can’t surf, I will teach him!
“Newquay is amazing, it’s just a brilliant place to live. I lived in London until I was 15, and all I did was dream of being by the sea. Newquay saved my life. I took a surfboard and sat in the ocean for hours and hours; I cannot advocate enough how much that helped my mental health. I’m now an ambassador for Love Newquay and love our local independent eateries and stores, it’s a whole vibe, there are so many more places to go.”
As if the girl couldn’t get anymore perfect, she’s a cheap date and knows all the top spots. “There are so many beaches surrounding Newquay, from the iconic world class waves at Fistral beach to Watergate Bay with a stretch of golden sand, perfect for a big fresh air walk,” she says. “ I love travelling too, indulging in different cultures and trying their local cuisines. I don’t drink, I never have done, so it’s a cup of tea for me. I’m a cheap date!”
Milla’s on a mission to make CPR a compulsory part of life for us all. “My focus at the moment is getting my ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ project GoFarwithCPR mandatory into every single school up and down the country,” she says. “I aim to teach every single student and adult how to perform CPR, so that everyone in the country can save a life with their bare hands. It’s simple, effective and costs nothing to implement. It’s the difference between life and death. I speak from personal experience as I lost both my grandfathers to heart attacks in the home. If someone in the family could have performed CPR, either of them might have lived.”
Mouth to mouth, anyone?
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