Mum and daughter in beauty show

Cressida urged her mother to take part

The first mother and daughter to contest a major beauty pageant insisted there would only be "friendly" rivalry between them.

Philippa Wood, 40, and Cressida Grant, 17, both from Putney in south-west London, are vying for the title of Miss Great Britain 2006.

Previously, multiple generations could not enter together because of age restrictions.

But the contest has been revamped this year with no upper age limit.

A-level student Miss Grant said: "I saw it first on the internet. I clicked on an advert and noticed there were no age limits this time, so I told mum she should enter too."

Mum is drop dead gorgeous and turns heads wherever she goes Cressida Grant

She added: "Mum is drop dead gorgeous and turns heads wherever she goes. "I really want to do well but I just suspect that mum might get that little bit further."

Sales manager and former model Ms Wood said: "I'm not sure how either of us will do, but we will both be rooting for each other.

"Hopefully at some point we will be standing on the same stage together."

Text message voting

Fashion entrepreneur Robert de Keyser recently bought the rights to the Miss Great Britain competition with former winner Liz Fuller, and announced a relaunch of the format.

Contestants can enter over the internet, and the grand final in London in February will be judged in Pop Idol style by a 1,000-strong audience and text message voting as well as a panel of experts.

Mr de Keyser said: "Not only is there no upper age limit but we are happy for mothers and even grandmothers to enter, as long as they are confident they can compete in the beauty stakes - which no doubt Philippa can."

Miss Great Britain is the UK's oldest beauty pageant and was first held in 1948.

The regional heats begin in October.