‘My mum was killed by a drug driver on the way home from a funeral

A woman whose mum was killed by a drug driver has revealed how her death inspired her to make a bucket list and become a beauty queen. Solicitor Alice Cutler, 26, first hit the headlines in tragic circumstances after she was seriously injured in a smash which claimed her mum Tereasa’s life in 2015. The family had been heading home from a funeral when a BMW being driven by Lewis Faulkner ploughed into them head-on near Wimborne, Dorset.

The 25-year-old construction worker, who had taken ecstasy and cannabis, was later jailed for more than four years at Bournemouth Crown Court. The crash left Alice, who was 18 at the time, orphaned after she lost her father to cancer a few years earlier but she refused to let either tragedy stop her living her life. She went on to become a successful commercial property solicitor and made a bucket list of things she wanted to do, including entering Miss England.

And she was left stunned when she was picked by judges as wildcard entry for this year’s semi-final competition, meaning she is now bidding to be crowned Miss England.

Alice Cutler has revealed how her mum’s death inspired her to become a beauty queen (Image: Courtesy Alice Cutler / SWNS)

Alice is now using her beauty queen platform to raise awareness during Road Safety Week and support the charity Brake as part of her Beauty With A Purpose project. Alice, from Southampton, said: “My mum absolutely inspired me to do this. At Miss Hampshire, I was asked who my role model was, I said my mum.

She was so focused on building the best life she could for us. She went to college and did a night course to get into university. “She started doing the bookkeeping for my dad’s company, she decided she wanted to become an accountant.

She was my absolute hero. Losing her made me think now’s the time to start thinking who am I, what do I need to do. I think it’s important that there’s sadness but life is short.

I thought ‘I’m alive, I would love to do some good’. “The Miss England competition for me is a platform through which to tell my story, a story which is both, hopefully, an inspirational tale of overcoming adversity to achieve your dreams as well as a cautionary tale.” Alice, who has only ever competed in one pageant before when she was 17, has no previous professional modelling experience.

She added: “When I was 17 I entered Miss Hampshire, it was so long ago I can’t remember how it even came about. I entered two weeks before the event. “I placed virtually last because I hadn’t had enough time to do the charity bits.

I did a swim. I was a bit of a tomboy growing up so I really enjoyed dressing up.

Alice is now using her beauty queen platform to raise awareness during Road Safety Week (Image: Courtesy Alice Cutler / SWNS)

“I thought why not just go for it again. This is the last year I’m able to do it as the oldest you can compete is 27.

I had a bucket list of things to do and Miss England was on there. So I applied and now they have fast-tracked me to the semi-final. “I haven’t done any modelling or any cat walking.

I’m nervous but I’m quite excited. I’m going in to have fun and do your best. It should be a fun experience, I’m excited to see.”

Alice said the death of her 49-year-old mum made her determined to become an ambassador for road safety charity Brake. She added: “To be honest I’ve had an overwhelming life. I was nine when my dad died of cancer, my gran died the year after, and then my mum was killed in a road traffic accident in 2015.

“I’ve had an awful lot of loss in my family. I was living with my mum and brother. When my mum was killed I had to move in with my aunt who was my dad’s sister.

“My life sounds like something you’d hear on a soap drama – but one that you wouldn’t believe. Dealing with the loss of a parent, especially a final parent, is hard. “I think it’s important to do what I can where I can to help.

There’s so much we can do. So many of these road deaths are preventable. We can advocate road safety.

“People make decisions, especially leading up to the festive period, with drinking. You might think you’re fine, but there’s real life people who will be impacted by your story. “This is why it’s important to raise awareness, my mum was driving perfectly safely.

The driver who crashed into us was suffering from the come down effects of ecstasy and cannabis.

“I don’t want to simply talk about making a difference so there are a few things I am planning on doing to support Brake as well as other causes and charities relating to my story.”

References

1. ^ Real life news, headlines and features here. (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
2. ^ ‘I have lived under the shadow of cancer all my life and after my mum died, I knew I had to be tested’ (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)