AS a friend of Verity Walker, the new Miss Durham, I'm upset about the abuse she has received since winning the title.

It is understandable everybody thinks their daughter is the most beautiful, but parents weren't the ones deciding. Fair enough, people have a right to ask about supposed "fixes", but they need to listen and understand the responses.

There is a lot of abuse saying there were more stunning girls. If so, why did Verity win? She stood out a mile, as she was confident and came across as herself.

Verity certainly wasn't sneaking out of the tent to meet with a judge, one wasn't her dad, she isn't a best friend of previous title holder Bex Clarke and it definitely wasn't decided before the pageant actually began.

The text votes were used towards the final score and played a part as a single judge, despite what people think. Verity probably didn't win the text votes but could still have won by coming first with most of the judges' voting cards.

Give Verity a break and let her enjoy her time as Miss Durham.

There is always next year for girls who believe they should be the rightful winner.

Tess Campbell, Darlington.