Prestatyn's very own mermaid on to next adventure which will see her compete in Egypt

Earlier this year Tyler Turner, of Prestatyn, won the title of Miss Mermaid Wales 2019.

Next year she will travel to Egypt for Miss Mermaid International 2020. The competition will see Tyler compete with other mermaids from around the globe with her Miss Mermaid UK team.

The devoted fundraiser, who raises money for local charities such as Mind, said: “I spied the competition (Miss Mermaid United Kingdom) on Facebook and casually entered. I raised my sponsorship of £300. I was introduced as Miss Mermaid Denbighshire. I got a lot of support and couple of sponsors from businesses.

“The competition was brilliant - a big beauty pageant. I am not what you call a girlie girl, but it was fantastic. It was a whole mermaid community. All shapes and sizes - all body types are appreciated.

“Some of the participants hadn’t swam in a mermaid tail before. There was a creative round where we had to make a eco costume, that was entirely made of recycled goods.

"Mine was made out of an old wedding dress which I got from a local charity shop. I got all recycled goods, saved up by myself and local friends and family, and I put it together.

"I made it into a bird style dress to promote local birds and did a peacock style back that lifts up."

Tyler with her dad Spencer Wilding

Tyler, a former Prestatyn High School pupil, said she didn’t expect to win the impressive title.

“I said ‘no way!’ when they shouted my name,” she added.

“I was then invited to Egypt.The first thing I did, after I won, was thank everyone on Facebook.”

Tyler, the daughter of Welsh Hollywood actor actor Spencer Wilding, started her mermaid journey after experiencing mental health issues.

Friends and family supported her. It was at this time that she decided to start researching a new hobby.

“I was working as a pool attendant and I was having some financial issues. I was fed up with being an adult and I thought... I want to be a mermaid.

“I do a lot of Cosplay. I did some research and got some practice in at work. That is how I started. Some people noticed me and thought ‘that is a little weird’, ‘haven’t seen that before.’

“I was invited to attend a swimming gala and it just followed on from there. It gives me a therapeutic outlook.”

Tyler said her father has encouraged her to never stop pursuing her dreams

Pontins in Prestatyn allows the former Coleg Llandrillo student to practice in their pool for free.

“I’m so grateful for it,” Tyler added.

"First, I found swimming in my tail a bit odd and then it came quite naturally.

"Everything slows down when you are swimming. Time slows down and you can forget everything.

"It is a type of meditation."

Tyler in full costume. Picture: Robert Mann

"Lesley [Wilde] who has the swimming classes Fins is also offering me support and training for free.

"All of us mermaids stick together.

"The girls she has trained are fantastic and all under the age of 16 and they are all so welcoming. I can give them advice and tips of makeup and the competitions they could enter when old enough."

Tyler has recently been visiting schools.

“It is so lovely seeing their faces,” she said.

“It is giving the magic back.

“I have started a little campaign and hit the primary schools to do with plastic in the ocean,” she said.

Tyler with her fellow mermaids

“I have been to Ysgol Penmorfa and Ysgol Glan Gele and we talked about how the birds struggle for food and made bird feeders.

“They loved it - the fact a mermaid was in their classroom. I hobbled around, I felt like a baby seal.

"I just love doing this. There is a lot of pressure that you have to be a certain something but you don't. I like the quote if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree [it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid].

"I want to just inspire people to just not give up on what they love to do or to go out and find their passion. You are never too old."

Tyler is aiming to raise £600 ahead of her Egypt experience. To donate, visit International mermaid competition - representing Wales on Facebook.