A former head girl at a school in Upminster is set to appear on The Great British Bake Off.

Dana Conway, 25, who attended Sacred Heart of Mary Girls’ School, is to feature in the new series of the Channel 4 contest, airing next Tuesday (September 26).

Dana, a database administrator, started baking aged 16 but nearly gave up after four years of applying to appear on the show.

“I had pretty much given up so my expectations were set extremely low,” she said. “I was completely shocked to get the phone call that I had finally made it.”

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The former head girl was congratulated by Sacred Heart and fans keen to see her on national televison.

“We are so proud of our former head girl Dana Conway who is appearing on the new series of The Great British Bake Off,” her former school posted on Facebook.

“We send her our […] best wishes and will be watching.”

Lorna Kerrison said: "Congratulations Dana, I’ll be watching now." 

"Well done Dana [...] love Bake Off and it will be even more special this year watching you," Cheryl Kearney added.

Dana said that her Bake Off workstation was bigger than her entire kitchen and it would be surreal to have someone else do the washing up for her.

The Bake Off contestant adds spices associated with her Indian heritage to recipes, including cakes.

Dana will be one of 12 contestants hosted in the white Bake Off tent pitched in Berkshire's Welford Park.

Alison Hammond joins comedian and actor Noel Fielding as a new presenter.

Bakers including Dana will undergo 30 challenges set by judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith.

The series will begin with Cake Week where contestants will have to produce the perfect vertical layer cake.

They will then be tasked with creating an iconic chocolate cake, followed by a sponge featuring a selection of animals.