Halal beauty? Egypt crowns this year's 'Miss Hijab' winner

A sports journalist has been crowned this year's winner of the Hijab Queen beauty contest in Egypt, local media has reported.

Ganna Yehia won over the judges this month in the competition for Egypt's best looking modestly-dressed and "religiously-principled" woman.

Yehia said she hoped the pageant would encourage more women to wear the hijab.

The contests gathered on Saturday dressed in ancient Egyptian inspired gowns for a photoshoot in Cairo.

The annual pageant, which is now in its fourth year, is a beauty contest for veil-wearing women in loose-fitting clothing.

It was launched in reaction to women who wear the Islamic headscarf being overlooked in traditional beauty contests, according to the organisers.

A large number of Egyptian women wear the veil but many upscale venues and resorts have come under fire in recent years for banning them.