Miss England quits after nightclub brawl
Miss England Rachel Christie has relinquished her crown after being arrested on suspicion of a nightclub assault involving another beauty queen that was allegedly sparked by a row over a TV ‘gladiator’.
A statement from the Miss England organisers said Christie, 21, a niece Olympic gold medal sprinter Linford Christie, wanted to concentrate on clearing her name. She was involved in a dispute with Miss Manchester, Sara Beverley Jones, 24, at the Mansion nightclub in Manchester on Sunday.
Jones was allegedly punched in the face, apparently in an argument over Tornado, a Gladiator in the ‘Sky One’ series, whose real name is David McIntosh. Jones is McIntosh’s former girlfriend, and Christie is thought to be his current partner.
Christie, a heptathlete with ambitions for the 2012 Olympics, is the first black woman to be crowned Miss England. A statement from Miss England organisers said: “Rachel will concentrate on clearing her name and focus on training for the 2012 Olympics until this case is resolved. Miss England organiser Angie Beasley and Miss World chairman Julia Morley will support Rachel.” Christie was arrested on Monday morning, and released on bail.
Meanwhile, the first runner-up in the 2009 national Miss England contest Lance Corporal Katrina Hodge is said to have been given leave to represent England in the Miss World Final in Johannesburg, South Africa, in December. Katrina, a Military Clerk, had earned the nickname “Combat Barbie” during a posting in Iraq.
