Rachel Mulligan, an acting manager with Praxis Care from Banbridge in County Armagh, is preparing a dress made from Tayto cheese and onion crisp packets for the Global Icon pageant in Las Vegas.

She requires around 500 empty packets to create an authentic garment featuring a red dress base styled after Mr Tayto with a large crisp packet cape.

Mulligan won a local heat of the Diamond pageant system in Northern Ireland two years ago, advanced to the UK competition, and placed first runner-up at Global Icon in California last July.

The Las Vegas event runs from July 29 to August 1, with Mulligan flying out on July 24 via Belfast, London, California, and then to Nevada.

The competition includes mandatory interview rounds and on-stage segments such as opening numbers and evening wear, plus an optional national costume round to represent participants' origins.

She plans to cover the red dress base with 60,000 to 80,000 gemstones and aims to complete the outfit by mid-July if materials arrive soon.

One of Mulligan's sisters and her niece will accompany her to the United States.

She has funded much of her participation herself with family support and thanked the local community for assistance so far.