Miss England finalists get sporting chance

Finalists in the 2010 Miss England competition visited Birmingham for a boot camp-style event.

The 60 women were put through their paces at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole hotel yesterday.

They were joined by serving British army soldiers, as well as the current Miss England Lance Corporal Katrina Hodge.

Finals of the Miss England competition will take place at the same venue over twodays on August 31 and September 1.

Miss England will then go onto represent the country in the 60th Miss World Contest in Sanya, China, on October 30, with the chance to win $100,000.

Miss England Organiser Angie Beasley said: "The girls are taking part in fitness, talent, sports and charity rounds. It's so different compared to the bathing beauty contest of yesteryear.

"We have millions of visitors to our website throughout the year so clearly there is a lot of interest in the event.

"We get girls from all ages, sizes and walks of life entering, in the hope of representing their country, so all the support we can get is tremendous."

Miss Hodge, aged 23, of Tunbridge Wells, persuaded organisers to remove the bikini round from the competition this year. It has been replaced with a sportswear round.

The Miss England finals will be covered by The Active Channel. The programme will go on air during the week of September 13.