A beauty queen contestant has come forward to warn other women of how her use of sunbeds for many years has left her battling skin cancer at the age of 24.

Miss York finalist Amy Hills, of Selby, North Yorks, would get an artificial tan at least once a week and she would also refuse to use suncream.

She discovered that all was not well during a visit to her doctor where she mentioned a mole on her arm had begun to change in appearance.

Tests were done and a few days later she was left horrified when it was confirmed it was cancerous.

Hills, who underwent surgery last week, was luckily the cancer had not spread but she will be needing constant checks.

"Like a lot of other young women, I wanted to look good and so would go for a tan about once a week. And when I sunbathed I wouldn't normally use suntan lotion," the Daily Star quoted her as saying.

"I thought it would never happen to me. But I noticed that the mole on my arm had begun to change about six months ago. When the test results came back saying it was cancer I was in a state of shock," she revealed.

Doctors have told her she needs a check every three months for the next five years.

"If I hadn't been to the doctor about something else, I might have left it for months more, which could have allowed it to spread further," she added. (ANI)