FOUR Gwent women will be battling it out for the coveted Miss Wales crown next month to win the chance of representing their country at the Miss World pageant.

The winner of the title will scoop an all-expenses-paid four-week holiday to China, then travel to the tropical island of Hainan, in the South China Sea, on December 6 for the Miss World 2003 competition.

The deadline for Miss Wales 2003 entries is only nine days away - with Gwent having more entries than any other area of Wales.

Rachel Rice, 19, and Emma Shadbolt, 20, both from Cwmbran, and Lehanne Wells, 24, and Hayley Jones, 20, both from Pontypool, are the four Gwent girls hoping to win the title.

This year, the entrants will not have to go through a swimwear round. Instead, they will be modelling sportswear.

Lehanne, a hairdresser, said that this was her first time in for the competition and she was looking forward to it.

She said: "I wanted to enter last year but couldn't find out about it, and when I heard this year I thought I would go for it.

"I am excited and looking forward to everything, and the other girls seem really nice."

Emma, who was Ponty-pool's carnival queen in 2002, said that she enjoyed beauty competitions. She said: "I enjoy going to events but haven't had as many opportunities as Miss Wales would give.

"At the moment I am also helping to raise money for the Noah's Ark appeal, and if I was successful then it would hopefully help me to raise more."

Hayley, a part-time care assistant, said that she hoped the competition would offer her more opportunities.

She said: "I wanted to enter last year but didn't get enough information. "This is an opportunity to try to promote myself. I am just keeping my fingers crossed."

Organiser Oliver Cohen is actively encouraging more women to enter, and said: "Winning the Miss Wales title can be a stepping-stone to all sorts of bigger and better things. For a start, there's a four week trip to China with Miss World and a wardrobe of clothes for the winner."

The Miss Wales winner will be chosen on September 18 at a gala event in Swansea.