FORMER Miss York contestant Melissa Chapman, is determined to help keep this year's contest strictly a York event.

She is planning to don the evening gown she wore at last year's final and launch her own recruitment drive.

She intends going into the city centre tomorrow and distributing posters and handing out entry forms to potential entrants.

Melissa, of Heworth, wants to encourage more people to enter from within a 50-mile radius of York, so that the competition is not opened up to women from across the country.

She decided to take direct action after reading in The Press how contest organiser Vivienne Lee might need to throw it open, because of a lack of local entries. Melissa, 19, said today: "I've enjoyed entering the contest since it restarted in 2005 and fully intend to keep entering! It is fun, but we want to keep it to girls in this area."

Vivienne said: "This is a lovely gesture from Melissa and will I'm sure be a great help. She knows what the competition is like to be involved in and can give first-hand advice to prospective entrants."

She said she now had 42 local entries to the contest, following previous publicity in the paper, and now needed just another eight to hit her target of at least 50.

The final takes place on Sunday, May 20, at The Royal York Hotel. Visit www.eventsconnect.co.uk for details of how to enter.