The Miss Great Britain 2007 winner, Aberdeen's Rachael Tennant, will hand over the crown to last year's runner-up - Miss Belfast Gemma Garrett - after she completes her year on the throne.

From then on, Gemma will be the competition's ambassador, visiting the rival seaside bidders to stage the 2008 competition.

The move came after Miss Great Britain, the UK's longest established beauty pageant, decided to return to the seaside leading to the announcement that the this year's pageant will be held at a leading British resort.

From its inception after World War Two through to the swinging 60s, the pageant was held in Morecambe, attracting thousands of beauties from across the nation and taking its place as an integral part of British seaside life.

Starting today, Britain's leading resorts will battle for the right to stage Miss Great Britain 2008 with pitches being made to the organisers before an announcement of the winning venue for the final to be made in the spring.

The glittering final will take place in November bringing a massive boost to the lucky resort.

Miss Great Britain organisation owner Robert de Keyser said: "Miss Great Britain has its origins as a seaside pageant in the glory days of Great British resorts and we are happy to have the chance to take the competition back to its roots.

"We have had phenomenal interest from a number of resorts and look forward to announcing the winning bid later this year."