Rachel
Christie
withdrew
from
the
title.
Christie,
who
was
the
first
black
woman
to
be
crowned
Miss
England,
stepped
down
following
her
arrest
over
an
alleged
fight
with
Miss
Manchester
Sara
Beverley
Jones
in
a
nightclub.
Contest
organisers
announced
her
place
was
given
to
first
runner-up
L/Cpl
Hodge,
who
will
now
represent
the
country
in
the
Miss
World
Final
in
Johannesburg,
South
Africa,
on
December
12.
''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
Telegraph
quoted
a
statement
from
the
organisers
as
saying.
“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
and
the
Miss
England
organiser
Angie
Beasley
and
Miss
World
Chairman
Julia
Morley
will
support
Rachel
and
are
behind
Rachel
with
her
Olympic
training,"
it
stated.
L/Cpl
Hodge,
nicknamed
'Combat
Barbie' over
her
bravery
in
Iraq,
has
been
granted
leave
from
her
duties
as
a
soldier
in
the
British
Army
to
participate
in
the
competition.