their homes and verbal attacks in the street.

The attacks claim the women are protesting the result of the show because of "sour grapes'' and racism, their lawyer said last night.

The revelation took the shine off a glittering day for pageant winner Miss Dianna Mitchell, who toured Hamilton in a buggy to pick up her prizes. After the spree, she posed behind the wheel of her $25,000 Nissan NX Coupe and said: "I could get used to this.'' Among other gifts were a gold watch, a gold designer cocktail dress for Miss World, and a computer.

"I had a wonderful time,'' she said. "Everyone has been very supportive of me.'' But later, disappointed contestants discussed their next move with attorney Mr. Phil Perinchief, and authorised him to take "legal proceedings'' if show organiser Mr. Terry Smith does not meet a new set of demands by Monday.

It is understood "legal proceedings'' could mean pageant organisers being sued, or facing an injunction scrapping the show's results.

Mr. Perinchief said: "These ladies are getting calls saying they're only doing it because the winner's a white girl. They are also being stopped in the street.

"Two or three have told me they have had calls accusing them of sour grapes, and saying if the girl wasn't white, they wouldn't be pursuing the matter.'' The protesting contestants -- two of whom are white -- wanted to get the message across that they were not racially motivated.

"They don't wish any ill-will against Dianna. They are tired of people treating them as if they were silly little girls.

"They are far above this whole racial aspect.'' He said the women wanted to give Mr. Smith a chance to co-operate with them.

They wished to meet him tomorrow or over the weekend for talks.

The women wanted Mr. Smith to: State that he followed the rules governing the contest and the Miss World contest, for which the show was a qualifier; Open up the show's scoresheets to the public and the contestants; Admit he did not explain the scoring process to contestants from the start: Recognise that they have made no allegations against Miss Mitchell; State that he changed his original plans for the scoring system; Confess that the Miss Tourism section, scored by two separate judges, formed at least 25 percent of the final tally; and Acknowledge that all five Miss Bermuda Islands judges were aware of the inclusion of the tourism scores; "Our view is that the five judges have only determined 75 percent of the result,'' added Mr. Perinchief.

Last night, one of the five judges confirmed the Miss Tourism scores were included in the final result.

Mr. Randy Horton, Assistant Director of Tourism, said he learned this when Mr.

Smith showed him the scoresheets.

He said he was satisfied there had been no "hanky panky'' with the scores.

But he added he had been disappointed and surprised to learn the Miss Tourism scores had been included.

"Mr. Smith showed me, he had nothing to hide,'' said Mr. Horton.

One of the Miss Tourism judges, assistant Sonesta Beach director Mr. Anthony Santucci, said: "This show was the best organised that there has ever been.

There may have been some technical errors but I think the outcome is fine.

"I think Phil Perinchief is a political ambulance-chaser. I think he's using this for his own personal benefit.''