THE new Miss Kent is 17-year-old Christina Cooper, the reigning Miss Sheppey.

Christina beat girls from throughout the county to take the title, supported by the Kent Messenger Group, on Saturday. She will now represent Kent at carnivals all over the South East.

Christina succeeds Tracie-Anne Harlow, who was one of the judges at Saturday's contest, held at Bluebirds Hall in Dover.

Runners-up, who will be Christina's Maids of Honour, were Claire Chisman, 19, reigning Miss Sittingbourne, and Cassandra Jeffries, 17, reigning Miss Westgate.

Jessica Miller, 14, from Dover, took the Junior Miss Kent title, with Jamie Breur, 13, also from Dover, and Anastasia Kuatkhina, 12, from Canterbury, runners-up.

Other judges were Kaye Dark, manager of Thanet Indoor Bowls Centre, Anne King, former chairman of Broadstairs Carnival, and Graham Smith, editor of the East Kent Mercury.

During the evening Tracie-Anne Harlow presented a cheque for £569.50 to Mike Cross, a voluntary fundraiser for the Delemelza House children's hospice at Sittingbourne. The money was raised during her year of office.