battle against the show's organiser last night.

The women held an emotional meeting at the offices of lawyer Mr. Phil Perinchief and told him to see if they could sue.

They felt manipulated, hurt and exploited by show organiser Mr. Terry Smith, said Mr. Perinchief.

The group, which included two white contestants, demanded an apology from Mr.

Smith for "duping'' them and called for a "fair'' system of judging for next year's contest.

Mr. Perinchief is also examining claims that Mr. Smith threatened to strip some of the contestants of their titles if they spoke out.

Earlier in the day, pageant winner Miss Dianna Mitchell made her first public appearance -- in the boardroom of lawyers Appleby, Spurling and Kempe.

She joined show organiser Mr. Terry Smith and attorney Senator Jerome Dill at a Press conference, and announced: "I feel great. I'm honoured to have been chosen Miss Bermuda Islands and I'm very happy about the whole pageant itself.'' Mr. Perinchief said 16 of the 19 contestants attended last night's meeting, with another represented by a parent.

"They're saying they ought to have known the rules right from the beginning, before they signed what is purported to be a contract.

"They feel they have been given the rules at the end of the game, as opposed to the beginning, and someone has shifted the goal posts.'' The women felt Miss Mitchell was a victim of the judging system too, he said.

"They don't think she was deserving of the boos that she received. They invited Dianna to meetings and she has chosen not to come or been told not to.

"I am sure they would not want her to be divested of the crown.

"They feel very hurt that perhaps the organisers themselves had a part in calculating the results.'' Before his Press conference, Mr. Smith warned reporters the event would end if they "interrogated'' Miss Mitchell.

She said: "My family have been very good to me, my friends have been extremely good to me, and they've been very supportive, right up until the pageant and after the pageant. I've had a lot of phone calls saying `Don't worry about it, hold your head up high and be proud of what you've done.' "I think the system they have chosen is good because it gives everybody a chance to do what they do best.

"I was nervous that night, but I think the night went really well. The actual contestants were very supportive to everyone. We helped each other and I felt they were behind me.'' She had not felt she was going to win, she said.

Asked about Miss Mitchell's allegedly poor performance on stage, Mr. Smith said he was confident about the Miss World show: "I am not frightened that Miss Mitchell will freeze up.

"The work we have in store for her before she's actually sent abroad will prepare her for the international arena.'' He confessed he should have told the audience about the system of judging at the beginning of Sunday's show -- instead of near the end.

"There were many things we overlooked,'' he said. "We have definitely learned from our experience and hope to implement lessons learned next time round.'' But he defended the system of judging, which included scores at interviews two days before the actual stage show. It would stay next year, he said.

"The contestants and the judges were aware of the judging procedure which was being used. We have reviewed the judges' scores, and can assure you that the scores were accurately tallied and posted.'' Judges would be allowed to see the computer printout of the scoring if and when they officially asked for it.

Four of them had "consented'' to sign forms endorsing the result, he said, and he was confident the remaining judge, the Hon. Pamela Gordon, would sign.

But he refused to say how many judges had not yet signed.

Sen. Dill said although judges could see them, there was "absolutely no question whatsoever'' of computer score sheets being made public. That would be a break with tradition, he said.

NOW ANOTHER CONTEST -- Miss Dianna Mitchell, controversially crowned Miss Bermuda Islands, appears with lawyer Senator Jerome Dill (left) and show organiser Mr. Terry Smith as the contest moves into the legal arena.