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Size 16 girl scoops second place in Miss England competition
Last updated at 10:11am on 21.07.08
A 17-year-old girl today became the first size 16 girl to come second in the Miss England beauty contest.
Chloe Marshall, who is a trainee opera singer from Cranleigh, was crowned Miss Surrey.
Chloe said earlier: "I wanted to enter Miss England to show everyone that you can be beautiful no matter what size you are and that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes."
Chloe glows in a stunning white swimsuit at the Miss England Grand Final
Together with 'Combat Barbie' Katrina Hodge, 21, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, Chloe overshadowed the Miss England winner.
Lance Corporal Hodge 21, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, who was honoured for fighting off an Iraqi insurgent, was awarded the Eco Girl Award.
Collecting her prize, she said: "I am an ambassador for the whole of the armed forces.
"Obviously, I have had a bit of stick from the lads.
"I have been to Iraq and there is nothing scarier than walking on this stage."
Combat barbie: Lance Corporal Katrina Hodge in her combat gear and (below) in a breath-taking dress at the Miss England Grand Final
The Miss England title went to a 22-year-old graduate from a family of beauty queens.
Miss Derby, Laura Coleman, said it was her "dream" to win the title.
She said: "I'm really excited. It's great to support Derby and do my parents proud. My mum and my grandmother are both beauty queens so it's a family tradition. It really is my dream to do this."
Combat barbie: Chloe struts her stuff on the cat walk with Natasha Cooper, 18, from Cumbria (left) during the Miss England 2008 Grand Final
In third place was Miss Norwich, Jessica Linley, 18.
The judging panel this year's competition held at the Troxy Centre in London included Hollyoaks actor Chris Fountain and actress Ravi Singh.
Miss Coleman will go on to represent England at the Miss World competition in Kiev, Ukraine, in October.
The Miss England line-up: First runner up Chloe Marshall (left), 17, Miss England winner Laura Coleman, 22 (centre), and second runner up Jessica Linley, 18
Reader views (16)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
To all the people on here (many male) who say that she isn't attractive - surely that is not for you to judge. Attractiveness isn't something that can be defined by Nuts and Zoo magazines - different people find different looks/sizes attractive - we're not all the same and have the same tastes.
- Suzy, London
At last a fine figure of a young woman does well in a beauty contest and a woman serving her country is commended in it.
It would have been better had one of them actually won the contest of course. I am sure Miss Coleman is a decent young woman but the stick thin blonde is such an unoriginal look.
- Ca Metcalfe, Essex
Got to agree with you Adam, Harrow, she may have nice boat, but the rest of the body no way jose.
- Steven Patrick M, London, UK
What next? Anti-discrimination legislation to say that being ugly should be no bar to beauty contests?
Although pretty naff anyway, at least you could depend on beauty contests to pick someone half decent. From those photos, it just looks like she should lay off the pies.
- George, London
I think the army girl should've won, she looks stunning; especially compared to the winner. As for the runner up, she is clearly bigger than a size 16!
- Simon, London, UK
Good for you Chloe!
- Aria, South London
She may have a pretty face but I think most people would agree being Miss England is more than that. I don't mean all beauty queens should be size zero but I don't think many people would find her size attractive. Thanks goodness she only came second!
- Tina, London, UK
I hate to burst your bubble Adam, but antiquated male attitudes just ain't attractive!
Adam you are gladly lapping up all the images in the lads mags and such but that is not the real world, in the real world.
Reality check!
- Stuart, Luton, UK
She is not a size 16. She actually looks like she about a size 24.
It is refreshing to see that any size can win/place in a "beauty" type competition, however, please people do not lie about the size of the person. She is lovely, be she size 16, 12, 20, or more.
- Sun, USA
I hate this PC correctness, that is how civil servants morphed into government officials, how ugly fat and gluttony turned to weight problem. It is not a weight problem, it is not big-boned, it is not glandular, it is sloth and gluttony. Facts.
- Ciccio, Toronto, Canada.
Adam, it is people like you, who cause normally healthy girls (who may only be a size 10 or 12 and therefore not fat), do become anorexic and risk their lives.
How would you feel if women were as shallow or if someone you liked turned you down because of your looks/size and told you you were unattractive?
- E Sullivan, London
Let's include ugly people too!
- Brandon Thomas, London UK
They are all beautiful... and Chloe certainly isn't fat.
- Taz, Canada
Chloe has a lovely face and I'm sure a lovely personality, but we must be realistic here.
We are talking about a potential Miss World contestant and there is no way, that Chloe would win a major beauty contest like that. I think that she was placed high in this competition because of all the publicity and maybe it would have looked as if the organisers would have been discriminating.
I also think that our contestants lack polish, they should look at contestants from other countries and take note. A lot of our contestants need lessons on how to walk properly and to dress for these type of competitions and the organisers should employ someone to do this.
Laura is a beautiful girl, but her gown was awful. I hope to goodness that the Miss England organisers make sure she has the right gown to show off her beautiful figure, a white one would be great. She is a natural beauty and with the right gown etc., could be a strong Miss World contender.
- Kaitlin, Merseyside
I hate to burst Chloe's bubble, but fat just ain't attractive.
- Adam, Harrow, UK
if she's a size 16, I'm the Queen of Sheba!
- Dorothy, London, UK
