Last year’s Miss Guernsey Hannah McLaughlin criticised the organisers of the event, saying that she was left to undertake duties on her own, but hoped that this year’s pageant was a success. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0631279)

organisers of Miss Guernsey 2008 are urging more girls to come forward to enter the event.
Elvio Pires says that he hopes around 14 people will take part and he believes that dropping the  age of entry will lead to more interest.
‘This year, we are letting anyone over the age of 16 to enter, which is lower than it has been in the past. We had a lot of girls of that age who wanted to enter and were disappointed that they weren’t allowed. But last year the prize was a new car, so it was pointless letting people enter who were too young to drive.’
For next month’s staging, the first prize will be £1,000 in cash, while others have been put forward by airline Blue Islands.
Mr Pires is looking forward to the event and said that it will be a good evening out.
‘We put on other entertainment and there is live music, so it is well worth coming along to.’
However, last year’s Miss Guernsey, 19-year-old Hannah McLaughlin, doesn’t believe the rewards were as good as they ought to have been.
‘I don’t think it has been as successful as it should have been and it hasn’t been the best year. The prize of a new car was a letdown,’ she said, claiming that there had been problems with it.
She also believes that more needs to be arranged for the winner after the event has finished.
‘You are pretty much left to your own devices. I would have liked to have done more, but I didn’t really have the opportunities.’
However, Miss McLaughlin said she was happy that she had won. Doing so was something that would stay with her.
‘I will be a Miss Guernsey winner forever and no one can take that away from me,’ she said.
‘I just hope that this year they are really assertive about it and that everyone knows about it.’
Miss Guernsey 2008 will be held at the Carlton Hotel at 7.30pm on Wednesday 10 September.
Anyone who is interested in entering should contact Elvio Pires on 07911 725159.