'Uglies' sent packing by beauties

More than 30,000 members of dating website Beautifulpeople.com have been booted off the site since it was hacked last month, creating an opportunity for "ugly" people to invade it

The site was flooded when 35,000 "uglies" made it onto the site, which is carefully monitored by its members, who vote on whether applicants will be allowed in.

Though it is not known if any South Africans were among those who slipped in, none got the boot.

BeautifulPeople.com managing director Greg Hodge said: "We have sincere regret for the unfortunate people who were wrongly admitted ... and who believed, albeit for a short while, that they were beautiful.

"It must be a bitter pill to swallow, but better to have had a slice of heaven than never to have tasted it at all."

The website has set up a hotline for people struggling with their rejection.

The hotline offers help for the rejected applicants and tips on how to deal with the bad news.

Existing members vote with a "yes definitely", "hmmm yes", "OK", "hmmm no", "not really" and "NO, definitely NOT" before a new member is allowed in, depending on their looks, height, weight, body type and net worth.

Added weight is given to votes by members from the same country and age group as the applicant.

Hodge has reassured the site's dating community that the integrity of the rating module has been restored. - The Times