A leading model agency has started a battle of the babes by declaring Crawley the beauty capital of Sussex.

Bosses at Premier Model Management, which has Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell on its books, say the town has more than its fair share of good-looking women.

They have now chosen Crawley over Brighton and Hove as the place to stage their quest for the most stunning woman in the county.

The move has sparked a war with Brighton and Hove, with the mayor speaking out on behalf of the resort's sexy men and women.

Premier is sending a team of scouts from its offices in London to Crawley's Bar Med tomorrow.

Amma Amihyia, head of the firm's new faces department, said: "Crawley has been an area where we have found some great girls in the past.

"It is nice to go back to parts of the country where you have success. Crawley girls have a lot of personality, they are down to earth and have a great attitude. At the end of the day, no one wants to work with a stroppy model."

Premier already has two Crawley girls on its books, one of whom was found at a scouting event.

Amma said: "Crawley is definitely the best place to look for models in Sussex. They have the look and the personality and they are certainly not shy.

"Brighton has lost its appeal because it has become more of a tourist spot. If you are looking for someone unique, it is better to go to a smaller town, which tends to be relatively untapped."

Crawley Mayor Les Hench agreed.

He said: "I think the women in Crawley are absolutely wonderful and beautiful and I'd go one better and say they are the best-looking in the whole country. I've got three daughters in Crawley so as far as I'm concerned they are tops.

"I think the women here are a little bit more upmarket than the average West Sussex person because Crawley is a very multi-racial town.

"We have all types of people and I feel the result is we have the most attractive people in Britain.

"The only place which comes close is Brighton. Both areas have a mix of people who settle there.

"But I think the model agency is quite right. The women in Crawley are just exquisite."

Martin Stone, who owns hair salons Topsy Turvy and HQ Hair in Crawley, said he was not surprised by the statements.

He said: "We have lots of model types in this town. All you have to do is go to the Diva or Ikon nightclubs on Friday or Saturday nights. They are packed with beautiful women."

Mr Stone said he had many attractive clients and staff at his salon.

He said: "I was in Brighton at the weekend and I went on to the seafront and walked around and the women there were nothing in comparison.

"You definitely see more beautiful girls in Crawley. In Brighton there are lots of student types."

Amanda Bilbo, assistant manager at the town's Rat and Parrot pub, agreed.

She said: "We are one of the busiest venues in Crawley and we get a lot of very attractive customers."

Brighton and Hove Mayor David Watkins described the comments as "a load of baloney".

He said: "I'm certainly not taking such statements from the Mayor of Crawley with regard to the beauty of our fair maidens in Brighton and Hove. I'm willing to throw down the gauntlet and ask him to prove the statement he is making.

"We have some of the prettiest women in the county. We also have some of the prettiest boys.

"This statement about Crawley isn't right. I'd like to know what the agency is basing its findings on.

"The women in Brighton and Hove completely surpass any you would find elsewhere in Sussex and that's before any visitors come to the city."

Premier's event tomorrow is part of its Model Search competition.

A maximum of five women will be picked in Crawley to compete in the regional final at the same venue on March 26.

The winner will go to the national final in London on June 1. The prize includes a holiday in Ibiza, a photoshoot worth £1,200 and an appraisal to join Claudia and Naomi on Premier's books.

Premier's Model Search will be at Bar Med, High Street, Crawley, from 8.30pm.