Two hair-styling students in London’s East End have cut through the competition in a national professional hairdressing contest to make it through to the regional heats.

The Tower Hamlets College members beat off the competition for the prestigious Wella Professional Xposure preliminary photographic heat.

Hailey Miller, 30, from Poplar, and classmate Raminta Petuchovaite, 28, from Ruislip, are both studying hairdressing at the Poplar High Street campus.

They saw off competition in the preliminary and now make it to next month’s Southern regional heat at Southampton to recreate their winning looks that could take them through to the national grand finals.

Hailey’s entry was a geometric, concave style showing shimmering and slicing of intensive magma colours, creating a striking effect.

Raminta’s asymmetrical bob entry shows fire and passion, which she reveals is inspired by the geometric cuts made famous by Vidal Sassoon.

The Xposure contest invites up and coming hairdressing talent from all over the country to create a commercial cut and colour styles as a celebration for colleges and other training providers.

Their tutor Deborah Du Barry was delighted at her students’ getting through the photographic heat.

“I’m over the moon,” Deborah said. “Two entries from the college making it through photographic heat shows the work and skills by the two students. They are an inspiration to others and we wish them luck in Southampton.”

The best 20 entries in the regional heats on April 17 compete at a grand final at the Wella’s World Studio in London in the summer.