From Miss Universe to glamorous gran

A former Miss Universe from the Midlands is finally hanging up her rock 'n' roll dresses – after becoming a grandmother.

Chris Charles has been organising dances to bring in cash for good causes for a decade. She has helped raise thousands of pounds for charity but is to stage her final event next month.

The 65-year-old, from Prestwood, near Stourbridge, now wants to spend more time with her family following the birth of grandson Liam on September 30.

Her final fundraiser will be held at Brierley Hill Civic Hall on December 2. A beneficiary this year will be the brain tumour research group at Birmingham University.

Good causes to have benefited from her dancing-themed extravaganzas in the past include Stourbridge Mary Stevens Hospice and the British Heart Foundation.

Chris, who won the Miss Universe competition in 1972, organised her first dance around 10 years ago as a reunion for people who used to attend rock 'n' roll events at Wordsley's Richardson Hall.

It proved so successful that more events were held – as many as three in one year. Recently the fundraisers have been combined into one single event, held close to Christmas, which attract crowds of around 150 people.

But Chris believes it is now time for her to take a break. She said:?"The dances have been really popular and I will be really sad when my last event comes around in December. However with the birth of my grandson Liam I really want to spend more time with him and my daughter Jane.

"I feel I have done my bit and I am really proud of the money which has been raised from the events."

Chris said she was still very proud of her Miss Universe achievement.

"As an average girl from Wordsley to win a competition like that was just a great feeling," she said. "My parents and siblings were very proud of me."

Tickets for the fundraiser are £10 and are available by calling Chris on 07870 312281.