A new plus-sized beauty queen has been crowned at the annual Fat and Beautiful Competition in Israel.

Sixteen contestants of all shapes and sizes strutted their stuff on the catwalk in a packed auditorium in the southern desert city of Beer Sheba.

First prize was awarded to 22-year-old Vered Fisher, who weighs 110 kilos.

Fisher, who served in the Israeli Army's intelligence unit, hopes her victory will encourage plus-sized women everywhere.

She said: "Stay this way because you are pretty as you are and you can succeed as you are."

Modelling agent Esterica Nagid, who has been sponsoring the competition for 20 years added: "I want to show that there is no difference between skinny and fat.

"I am not encouraging fat but if it exists and is aesthetic and pretty, then this is the place to express it."