Ugly row brews over beauty queen

Rachel Davies said she had won on merit

An unattractive row has broken out over a Worcestershire beauty contest.

Rachel Davies, 21, was recently crowned Miss Worcestershire 2005. But some residents have complained as she is from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

Organisers say there is nothing in the rules to say contestants should live in the county.

Miss Davies said she won the competition on merit and there was no similar competition being held in her home town.

She said: "It was a competition I had to perform in. I performed and I won it."

Sala Lloyd, of the Worcester Evening News, said letters had been coming in saying the 11 county contestants she had beaten should have been chosen instead.

Miss Davies now goes on to compete in the Miss England competition and will also get an Eddie Stobart truck named after her.