A lifeguard model has recalled the ‘terrifying’ moment she was caught in a rip current while saving someone’s life.
Milla Magee, from Newquay, says lifeguarding has been “glamorised” by shows like Baywatch, but the reality of the job is very different and can be very scary.
The stunning 23-year-old, who made history after being crowned the first “plus-size” Miss England earlier this year, is campaigning for CPR training to be made compulsory in schools and has even received support from Prince William in her effort.
Talking with Loaded In a magazine, Milla recalled the time she saved a life in Portugal but ended up getting into trouble in the water.
She said: ‘I got caught in a rip current which carried me miles down the beach and crashed me onto the rocks.
Miss England lifeguard turned model Milla Magee has recalled the “scary” moment she was caught in a rip current (pictured at the Miss England final in May)
“I had no control and it was terrifying. Getting caught in rip currents can be fatal and is very common. There have been many tragic accidents with tourists coming to Cornwall.”
He added: “The job of a lifeguard has been romanticised by TV shows like Baywatch, but the reality is that at any moment you may have to get into the water very quickly and pull someone to safety.”
The part-time model and former Miss Newquay revealed she hopes to “make a difference” – her reason for taking part in Miss England.
Milla is on a mission to make CPR a compulsory part of life and is campaigning for the training to be rolled out in every UK school through her project called Beauty with a Purpose.
Earlier this year, Prince William lent his support to her Beauty with a Purpose project for Miss World 2025 during a royal visit to her hometown of Newquay.
In May, Milla was crowned the first size 16 Miss England, saying “weight doesn’t define you”.
She proudly said she is not the “standard” beauty queen and insisted she doesn’t even know her weight because she doesn’t have a scale.
As a teenager weighing 14 stone she was teased at school but now has the last laugh after becoming a lifeguard, part-time model and now Miss England.
Milla, 23, says she is now on a mission to make CPR training mandatory in schools and that being a lifeguard isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Prince William gave his support to her ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ project for Miss World 2025 during a royal visit to her hometown of Newquay, Cornwall.
The beauty queen, who is campaigning to have CPR taught in all schools, is a step closer to getting the law changed after receiving backing from the government and royalty. Pictured working with St. John’s Ambulance
She became the only plus-size woman to take home the crown after beating out 39 other beauty queens.
She said she has suffered from body image issues in the past but has now accepted her size and is confident in herself.
Milla previously said: ‘I guess I’ve struggled with body image all my life.
‘I’m 1.80m tall and I was always the tallest girl in school. I was the only girl who stood tall in a sea of boys, and I stood out among my friends. That gave me a complex.
‘When I was 14, I weighed 14 kilos. I always felt big. From then on, body image dysmorphia developed.
‘At the time I was trying to fit into an unrealistic body image.
‘I didn’t have a representation of what I could look up to, of what I was. I always wanted to be petite and small.
“I lost that weight and was at a healthy weight for my height. It was a struggle because as I got older, I was trying to live up to unrealistic expectations.
‘Any number or size you buy, does not define you.
Elsewhere, the part-time model and former Miss Newquay revealed she hopes to “make a difference”, which was her reason for taking part in Miss England.
Speaking to Loaded magazine, Milla recalled the time she saved a life in Portugal but ended up getting into trouble in the water.
Milla is now on a mission to make CPR a compulsory part of life and is campaigning for the training to be taught in every school in the UK.
Milla beamed alongside Prince William as the future King made a royal visit to Cornwall over the summer.
Milla has also teamed up with Noah Law, Labour MP for St Austell and Newquay, to bring her campaign to the attention of Government ministers.
‘The most important message is that if you are healthy for your size, that’s all that matters. I really want to say that numbers don’t define you, neither does small, medium or large.
‘Sometimes we forget that brands have different sizes. I’ve been able to wear a size 8. I’m happy buying a size 16 or an extra large.
‘I feel happy and comfortable with myself. Just because you’re 14 or 16 doesn’t mean you’re older.
‘What we have done is put a mental image in that size that has made our generations feel conscious.
“I think it’s surprising that Miss England is promoting this narrative that you don’t have to be skinny to be a beauty queen.”
The 23-year-old also models swimwear for brands while working as a lifeguard on the Cornish coast.
(tags to translate)dailymail