Miss Denmark: Cancel the contest

A Miss World contestant today spoke of her revulsion at the fact the beauty pageant is going ahead after more than 200 people lost their lives.

Miss Denmark, 22-year-old Masja Juel, led the original boycott in Nigeria and is now urging entrants to pull out of the relocated contest at London's Alexandra Palace on Saturday.

She said moving the venue had not changed her mind: "I feel the contest has caused a lot of problems and many people have died as a result. I feel sorry for those people who were killed. I am going to stay at home. It should have been cancelled for this year because it has cost so many lives."

The Miss World boycott was in protest at the treatment of Amina Lawal, a Nigerian woman who has been sentenced to death by stoning for having a child outside marriage.

The arrival of the beauty circus in the African nation also sparked fierce rioting between Christians and Muslims, leaving more than 200 dead and hundreds injured - and led to Miss Korea boycotting the contest.

Under mounting controversy, and fears for the safety of contestants, the pageant was hastily reconvened in London. The move has encouraged four contestants - Misses France, Spain, Panama and Kenya - to reenter the competition. But Miss Juel called on the remaining entrants to think again about taking part, saying: "I would hope they will still boycott it. If enough people leave, then the organisers will have to cancel it."

As a mark of respect for those killed in the Nigerian violence, Misses Tahiti, Austria, Switzerland, Iceland and Costa Rica are also staying away.

Emil Bower, president of the Miss Austria Corporation, said: "On the first day of the riots 45 people died. I would not have waited until 200 people had been killed to change to another country. I would have done so after one person had died. We will only take part in next year's Miss World if the contest is held in a safe country. We also want our licence fee to be returned. We paid £3,000 this year."

Yesterday, seats for Saturday's event could be snapped up for as little as £25. A sales assistant for Ticketmaster said: "We've got quite a few tickets left at those prices."

The last-minute deal to stage the contest at Alexandra Palace has safeguarded TV rights in 136 countries. Organiser Julia Morley had just days to find a new venue after fleeing Nigeria 11 days ago when several contestants refused to take part unless the pageant was moved to a safer country.

Miss England, Daniella Luan, 22, claimed the 92 entrants had been put in danger despite Ms Morley's assurances. She said: "It was a bit of a risk. Nigeria was not the best place to hold a beauty pageant. All in all it is the best result to be back in London."