Amy Winehouse voted 'ultimate heroine'

Amy Winehouse has been voted the ultimate heroine by UK youngsters in a poll.

And another troubled singer - Pete Doherty, who was recently sentenced to 14 weeks in jail, was the second most popular ultimate hero among respondents in the under 25 age group.

WAG Coleen McLoughlin also made it on to the heroine list among the under 25s.

Among the general population, Winston Churchill was named the UK's top hero, followed by Elvis Presley.

The top heroines were Diana, Princess of Wales, followed by Winehouse, who has been nominated for three Ivor Novello Awards this year.

Among the over 50s, the Queen is the third most popular heroine, and she comes sixth in the general poll for Sky.com.

Actress Helen Mirren, who played the monarch, comes fifth generally and second in the over 50 group.

Psychologist Donna Dawson said of the findings: "The results show that what society defines as a 'hero' and a 'heroine' seems to differ greatly.

"The majority of the top 10 women chosen, such as Diana, Princess of Wales and Amy Winehouse, seem to portray a certain sense of vulnerability or have had to fight against some adversity in their lives.

"By comparison, the male heroes are generally much stronger, dominant figures, and with the exception of Churchill, are known for their talent, rather than their personality or the impact they have had on the world. While we seem to admire male icons, we seem to need to identify with our female ones."

Via ukpress