FABIO Federici and Chloe Mitchell are celebrating after they were crowned the male and female “Face of the Market Place” at a glitzy beauty pageant.

Mr Federici and Miss Mitchell emerged from a 30-strong field of contestants — aged between 17 and 21 — to become the first ambassadors for the shopping complex.

Former St Joseph’s RC High School in Horwich pupil, Mr Federici, aged 20, who now lives in Westhoughton, said: “I am delighted to have won and become the male face of the Market Place.

“I am looking forward to representing the Market Place at future events.

Miss Mitchell, aged 21, was equally pleased with her success. She already works for Bolton Lads and Girls Club — a beneficiary of sponsorship from the pageant event — as a social media apprentice.

She said: “I only entered the competition because I wanted to raise the profile of the club.

“But I am over the moon to have been selected.”

Contestants took part in an opening casual wear round before progressing to evening wear.

They were then interviewed.

The pageant, which took place in the unit formerly occupied by Index, was organised by DLC Lifestyle, a Bolton-based events company.

It was judged by Steph Waring, who plays Cindy Cunningham in C4 soap Hollyoaks, fashion designer Zeynap Kartel, who is the brainchild behind many of Kylie Minogue’s outfits, Miss Manchester contestant, Nicole Jackson, Melissa Travis from ITV2’s Girlfriends, and Chantel Perry the partner of Tranmere Rovers footballer Joe Thompson.

Mr Federici and Miss Mitchell each received a £150 Debenham’s shopping voucher, a bottle of champagne, a slap-up lunch and a beauty pack.

Also performing was Bolton star of BBC’s The Voice, Joe Keegan, alongside 16-year-old singer/songwriter Cammie Carter, who also lives in the town.

By winning the event Mr Federici and Miss Mitchell also qualify to enter the Face of the Globe North West heat, and potentially a national title at Disneyland in Paris.

DLC Lifestyle organiser Claire Wilkins said: “The event was all about getting people back into the habit of coming into the Market Place.

“This is the first of what we hope will be many events like this here and we are hoping to do it on a much bigger scale next year.”