Miss England quits after beauty queen bar brawl

2009/11/07

LONDON: Miss England Rachel Christie stepped down yesterday to clear her name following an alleged punch-up in a nightclub with a rival beauty queen.

Christie is alleged to have attacked Miss Manchester in a row over a beefy television personality called Tornado. Christie has been arrested on suspicion of assault.

Christie, 21, is the athlete niece of British Olympic 100 metres gold medallist Linford Christie and was crowned the first black Miss England in July.

She specialises in the heptathlon and the 400 metres and is hoping to qualify for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Sara Beverley Jones, 24, was allegedly punched in the face after arguing about Tornado, Royal Marine Commando David McIntosh, who appears in the
“Gladiators” combat programme.

Reports said McIntosh is Christie’s boyfriend but used to date Jones.

London’s Evening Standard newspaper said the beauty queens began brawling after Jones showed Christie a provocative text message she clamed was from McIntosh.

“Due to the media attention following the allegations against her, Rachel Christie has now decided to withdraw from the Miss World competition and relinquish her Miss England crown,” the contest organisers said.

“Rachel will concentrate on clearing her name and focus on training for the 2012 Olympics until this case is resolved.

“Rachel is very upset about the matter.” Greater Manchester Police said they were called to the city’s Mansion nightclub at around 1:00am Monday.

“It is believed that, earlier that night, a 24-year-old woman got into an altercation with another woman in the club and was hit in the face several times,” a spokesman said.

“The victim was taken to Hope Hospital where she received treatment for superficial facial injuries. She has now been discharged.” Christie was arrested on suspicion of assault and was bailed until January 2010.

Miss England runner-up Lance Corporal Katrina Hodge, a British Army soldier decorated for bravery fighting in Iraq, has been promoted in Christie’s place.

The new Miss England will contest the Miss World crown in Johannesburg next month. - AFP