Fifteen women stepped out across the stage to electronic music, twirled at the front before a row of judges, and repeated the same after a change of clothes.

The scene had all the elements of a beauty contest, except that the contestants were uniformed policewomen.

A cross between a beauty pageant and a bodybuilding event, Hungary's 14th Miss Fitness Cop competition was held on Sunday in the capital city of Budapest.

The competition was open to serving members of Hungary's law enforcement agencies as well as students at police academies. The 15 hopefuls, aged from 18 to 45, were trying to impress judges with their style and physique.

"It's different from other fitness-model competitions as you're marked on how you move in the uniform," explained one of the favorites, Zsofia Horvath, a 24 year-old traffic accident investigator in Budapest.

After the first round in uniform, the contestants reappeared in skimpy vest and fitness shorts to show shapes and flex muscles.

Laszlo Berkes, the organizer and host of the event, is keen to point out it's not just about pretty faces.

"In beauty pageants girls compete on the basis of what they are born with. Yes, looking good helps here, but the contestants all train hard and must have huge self-discipline and perseverance," he said.

The formidably built Berkes, himself a veteran of several International Police Olympiads as well as head of Hungary's Bodybuilding Federation, reckoned that the Miss Fitness Cop competition can positively influence the image of the police, a force often maligned in Hungary for its outmoded practices and occasional thuggishness.

"Too often the police are not portrayed well in the media or in general discourse," he said. "Things like this should get more publicity. Not only are our policemen and women good at sports, but they look good as well."

Berkes compered the show, guiding contestants through their stage routine, some of whom were nervously making their debut in such an arena.

"It was a strange feeling to be up there," said Bea Voros, a 45-year-old prison guard from Szeged in southern Hungary. "I've been doing sport all my life. I entered this to prove to myself that I still have a feminine body, as well as a sporty one."

Zsofia Horvath, who narrowly won the title ahead of 20-year-old Rita Kovari, a trainee commando, said it's not easy being female in the macho world of the Hungarian police force.

She insisted competitions like Miss Fitness Cop are good for women in the services.

"Sure there are people, including colleagues, who look at this as women parading around in near-underwear," she said. "But there are others, usually sports people, who understand it and see it for what it is, a sport which combines fitness with beauty."