Miss Cornwall stripped of crown for lying

LONDON - A teacher has been stripped of her beauty queen crown after organisers found that she was lying about her age from past five years.

Miss Cornwall Laura Anness, who has entered a number of beauty pageants from Miss Universe GB to Miss Motors, told organisers that she was 22 in 2006 and then again in 2007, 2008 and this year.

According to the rule, the 23 entrants had to be aged between 17 and 24 and live, work or study in Cornwall. But Laura was actually from Devon while she lived and worked in Plymouth.

“I didn’t think she looked older than 24,” the Sun quoted Miss Cornwall organiser Becky Chapman as saying.

“But when I was cleaning my office, I came across Miss Cornwall entry forms completed by Laura as far back as 2006. That year she’d put her age as 22, and again in 2007, in 2008 and in 2010.

“When I approached Laura about this, she came clean and admitted she’d lied about her age to follow her dream.

“I then had to pay Laura a visit at home and that’s when I found out where she lives. For a girl to enter Miss Cornwall, she needs to live, work or study in Cornwall. It’s all rather sad and has never happened before in the contest.

“Laura had no problem handing back the crown and sash and had not used any of the prizes. She said she was really sorry. She has finally won and she gets the title taken from her,” Chapman added.

On asking about the incident Laura said, “I just want to forget about it.”

The curvy 27-year-old has now been ruled out of competing in the Miss England final and had to hand over her sash to runner-up, Samantha Orpe. (ANI)