Ascot to turn away women for wearing short skirts

Women face being turned away from the Royal Enclosure during Royal Ascot if their skirts are too short or if their dresses have straps less than an inch wide.

Visitors who display their midriff or wear off-the-shoulder tops or halter necks will also be ejected on the orders of the Queen's representative, the Duke of Devonshire.

The duke, the chairman of the course, has clarified the strict dress code for next week's event in guidance sent to all 80,000 Royal Enclosure badge holders.

The code dictates that only "formal day dress" is acceptable and that ladies must wear hats or "substantial fascinators" - Ascot's terminology for feathered adornments.

Too-short skirts, streaky fake tan or a glimpse of knickers will all be outlawed when the swanky meeting starts on Tuesday.

Toff racegoers had complained the once-elegant event was turning trashy with an invasion of WAG wannabes and Paris Hilton lookalikes.