Miss North Devon Surf Queen

Women line up on Woolacombe Beach to covet the crown or rather tiara, red sash, blushes and flowers of Miss Surf Queen North Devon. This must be the beachwear round then! This is the surf life championships and a demonstration of life saving is put on by the Woolacombe women's section. Surf lifeguards patrol beaches throughout the summer season. Lycra was actually invented in 1958 and went on to revolutionise fashion and help with precision swimwear.

I shall announce the results in reverse order as Eric Morley used to put it. His annual Miss World competition began in 1951 with Miss Festival of Britain and became one of the most watched light entertainment programmes broadcast on British TV. It spawned many spin offs, Miss Universe in America, Miss England, Scotland and Wales, Miss National Coalfields, Miss Earth, Mr Hardware, Mr Gay, Miss Plus Size as beauty pageant fever gripped the nation only to be brought down by the gender equality agenda and general feminism. Out of favour in the UK, some events still attract a global audience. Morley was chair of the Mecca Group, popularised bingo and was part responsible for BBC's original Come Dancing programme.