Nigeria's staging of the Miss World competition is in doubt after contestants threatened to pull out in protest at an Islamic court's ruling that a single mother must be stoned to death.

Some beauty queens who were to travel to the finals in November have pledged to boycott the contest, while others expressed concern for their safety at the hands of Islamic groups that plan to disrupt the ceremony.

Miss Ivory Coast, Yannick Azebian, said: "If I'm chosen for this competition, I'm not going to Nigeria and I hope my decision will help save Amina Lawal."

Ms Lawal, 30, was sentenced to death by an Islamic Sharia law court in northern Nigeria for having a child out of wedlock and last week lost her appeal against the ruling.

Severe blow

Miss Norway, Kathrine Soerland, has also threatened to pull out, saying the sentence was ''utterly revolting''.

There is no point sending our participant if Lawal is executed, because the world would think we are backing the inequitable executions

Kenya Miss World co-ordinator, Leakey Odera

Miss Togo, Sandrine Agbopke, said: "Stoning this woman is not right. The authorities and all of society should rise up to end this sort of practice.''

A cancellation of the contest would be a severe blow to the pride of the west African nation.

Miss World committees in several nations have hinted strongly that their participation is far from assured.

Safety fears

Kenya's Miss World national co-ordinator, Leakey Odera said: ''There is no point sending our participant if Lawal is executed, because the world would think we are backing the inequitable executions by the Islamic courts."

Amina Lawal: contestants who do attend may choose to speak out

A spokesman for the Miss Netherlands organisation, Hans Koenings, said: ''It is up to the Miss World organisation to decide if they want to take the event to such a country.

''I imagine they would want to take a long hard look at the situation."

Miss Sweden, Sophia Hedmark, said: ''There is nothing to be gained by not going to Nigeria... but I plan to protest against the ruling in interviews with journalists."

The Polish Miss World committee said it was concerned about the safety of its representative - still to be decided - after the Islamic group, Jama'atul Muslimin, branded the contest ''an abomination'' and others threatened to disrupt it.

The reigning Miss World is Nigeria's Agbani Darego.