MISS England today launched the MS York 2005 contest - and told contestants how it could transform their lives.

Danielle Lloyd has agreed to chair the judges for the event on Friday, May 20, at York Racecourse, which will raise thousands of pounds for the MS Woodlands Respite Care Centre.

The 21-year-old, from Liverpool, brought a ray of sunshine to a wet York today to meet some of the scores of young women who have already entered the competition. She also met previous contestants including Olga Shepherdson (nee Markovits), who was a runner-up in 1961 and Joanne Weatherstone (nee Snowball), who was Miss York 1985.

Danielle, who represented her country in the Miss World contest held in China, said: "It's been fantastic. We spent a month in China, filming for the show. I've got to travel all over the world and meet lots of famous people."

Her advice to York's entrants was: "Just be yourselves, and look happy, smiley and confident. The more confident you are the better."

Contest organiser Vivienne Lee said entries were now coming in at the rate of four or five a day. More than 60 had now applied, and she expected the number might grow to more than 100 by the closing date of April 16.

She said the numbers would be whittled down to 25 by DK Model Management, who were offering a model contract as one of the prizes.

Many of the contestants meeting Miss England said they had been entered by family members after they had read about it in the Evening Press.

Stacey Harrison, 18, from Woodthorpe, who is studying civil engineering at Leeds University, said she was entered by her mother.

Lindsay Hughes, 22, said: "Me and my sister, Victoria, 18, saw it in the Evening Press and thought 'Why not?'

"I'm looking forward to it. Nobody knows about it yet - people think I'm at the dentists today, although my boss knows."

Georgina Collinge, 17, whose father Shaun runs the Maltings pub in York, said: "It'll be an experience. It'll be fun."

If you are aged 17-24, live within 50 miles of York and want to enter MS York, log on to www.eventsconnect.co.uk

Updated: 12:45 Wednesday, April 06, 2005