A beauty queen has been stripped of her title after it emerged that she lied about her age and where she lives.
Pretty Laura Anness, 27, was crowned Miss Cornwall at a pageant in front of hundreds of people earlier this month.
But it has now emerged that the she had lied on her application as she was too old to enter and had ”no connection” with the county of Cornwall..
Laura, a teacher from Plymouth in Devon, told organisers she was 22-years-old who lived in the Cornish town of Saltash.
But organiser Becky Chapman said rumbled her when she came across entry forms completed by Laura, who has entered the competition for the past four years.
Mrs Chapman said: ”I didn’t think she looked older than 24. But when I was cleaning my office, I came across Miss Cornwall entry forms completed by Laura as far back as 2006.
”But when I was cleaning my office, I came across Miss Cornwall entry forms completed by Laura as far back as 2006.
”She had 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 had to then 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.
”Laura had told me that she lived in Saltash, Cornwall, but she doesn’t, she lives in Plymouth, Devon, and has no real connection with Cornwall. It’s all rather sad and has never happened before in the contest.
”Laura had no problem with handing the crown and sash back and had not used any of the prizes. We gave each other a hug and she said she was really sorry.
”I feel sorry for her, she’d been entering these contests for years and never won, and now she has finally won she gets her title taken from her.”
The 23 entrants were required to be aged from 17 to 24 and living, working or studying within the county.
Laura, who will now miss out on the chance to compete in Miss England, added: ”I don’t want to say anything. I just want to forget about it.”
Speaking when she won the title, she said: ”It was a complete shock to win. I entered the competition back in 2007 and I wasn’t expecting to win this time.
”I would really love to get in to fitness modelling, doing work for companies like Adidas. I love the TV show Pineapple Dance Studios, so to do something like that would be amazing.”
Laura was also a finalist in a Miss Universe competition in 2009 and has also placed fourth in a Miss Coventry pageant.
Her profile on the Miss Coventry website said: ”Ever since I was a little girl I have always dreamed of winning a beauty pageant.
”I would ultimately love to win Miss World and become a top professional model. I would also love to travel the world.”
A new ceremony is due to be held this week to crown runner-up Samantha Orpe (corr) , 21, and lives in Truro, Miss Cornwall.
A pageant spokesman said: ”Miss Anness was due to represent Cornwall in the Miss England final on 31st august and 1st September at the NEC Birmingham Hilton.
”She was found to be above the age limit of 24 by 3 years. Laura clearly stated on entry to the contest that she was 22. Subsequent checking has revealed her to be 27.
”Therefore the title & place in the Miss England final goes to Samantha Jane Orpe who was the first runner up in Miss Cornwall 2010.”
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