British Solider Beauty Queen Gives Swimsuit Competition Its Marching Orders

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Miss England Katrina Hodge, who has competed in a bikini, convinced organizers of the annual beauty pageant to drop the swimsuit competition after 50 years.

If a British soldier and beauty contestant has her way, beauty pageants may start looking a lot different.

The swimsuit round of the Miss England competition has been given its marching orders after 50 years at the encouragement of last year's winner, soldier Katrina Hodge.

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What's Your Reaction? Miss England 2009 Katrina Hodge has convinced judges to cut the swimsuit competition to add in a sports challenge, the Telegraph UK reports . Hodge, known as "Combat Barbie," joined the army when she was 16 and served in Iraq. But Hodge thinks the bikini battlefield might be scarier for some.

Miss England Katrina Hodge swapped her Army combats for elegant evening wear when she appeared at Europe's largest bridal trade exhibition in Harrogate yesterday.

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