BEAUTIFUL women representing countries from all over the world united in Oxford yesterday.

Oxford Union hosted 120 Miss World contestants, ahead of the famous pageant taking place in London next month.

Their visit saw them take part in a debate on the topic 'should beauty be rewarded?'

Speaking at the debate Vanessa Ponce de Leon, who is currently Miss World and Miss Mexico, said: "I come from Mexico, I have a degree in international Business and Human Rights, then I won Mexico’s Next Top Model and went onto become a professional model, until I gave it all up to become a full time volunteer. Today I’m here as Miss World.

"Without getting too philosophical, beauty is an innate quality, something that is randomly given and it’s separated from the human control.

"Why shouldn’t something so pure be praised?

"Should intelligence be rewarded? Should talent be rewarded? Should strength, compassion and courage be rewarded?

"There are lots of examples around the world where we reward these qualities.

"Students at Oxford University are recognised for their intelligence."

She went on to discuss how Miss World also celebrates those qualities, particularly compassion, encouraged with an element of the contest called Beauty with a Purpose.

Contestants each have to chose a project from their home country to champion, focusing on sick and disadvantaged people, to support and fundraise for.

Ms Ponce de Leon added: "I'm very proud to say that Miss World has 140 new national representatives every year working hard in any field you can imagine, we have doctors, architects, politicians, dentist, dancers, athletes.

"So whether you are an Oxford student, or a Miss Wold contestant, our titles, abilities, they don’t matter - what matters is what we use them for....beauty comes with purpose.

"If you agree with me that beauty is more than just how we look, then like me you agree that beauty should be rewarded and also you are a Miss World fan, you just didn’t know it."

The 69th Miss World annual final will be held at ExCel London on Saturday, December 14 - see missworld.com for details.

Miss World was last held in London in 2014, when contestants also took a trip to Oxford in the run-up to the night itself.