A FINALIST has been throw in out of a beauty competition - after it was discovered she had posed as a nude model.

Laura Rafferty won through to the final of the Miss York, which gives the winner a shot at the Miss England title, but was disqualified after nude pictures of her appeared on two internet modelling websites.

The competition rules of entry strictly state that participants must not have posed nude or topless for a professional photographer.

Competition organiser Vivienne Lee, said she had no alternative, but to disqualify Laura for breaking the rules of entry.

"The rules of the competition are clear as are the rules of entry for Miss England," she said.

"We are governed by the rules of Miss World, and contestants must not have had anything in their past that would bring the competition, or its organisation, into disrepute."

Laura said she had no idea that pictures of her had been put on the internet and thought she had been "betrayed" by someone she knew - however she conceded they had been taken.

"Obviously I am gutted to be kicked out of the competition. I am more disappointed that someone I know has betrayed me," she said.