A WOMAN from Middlewich is making herself known among the best nail technicians in the world just months after beginning her new hobby, and says she won’t stop until she is number one.


Linda Hill, 49, worked as a bartender until she was 42 and decided to follow her dream by opening her own nail and beauty salon.


She has now run her own salon, Stylefile on Pennymoor Drive in Middlewich, for eight years and also works for national nail company Palms Extra as their north west representative.


After a lot of positive feedback about her nail treatments from customers and colleagues, she decided to test herself against the best.


Linda entered into an international competition for nail art held in Edinburgh in March and was shocked to come away in silver place in her first competition.


She said: “People kept telling me that I should enter these competitions but I didn’t know whether they were just saying that to be nice so I wanted to do it to see if I was good enough.


“I am proud of what I have done so far because I’m competing against people from the likes Poland and the Netherlands and they learn from an early age.


Linda will compete again in London next year and is hoping to go one further by claiming the top prize.


Linda added: “I was so chuffed to get second in my first ever competition and then to get third in Manchester behind a Nailympic champion, but I won’t stop until I get first.


“My aim is to compete in the Nailympics eventually but I don’t think I’m quite ready yet.


“I’m just really looking forward to going to London and testing myself there because there will be a lot more overseas competitors there and probably a higher standard.


Linda will be making the long trip down to London with her model Lorna Taylor for the competition.