The town of Guben in Brandenburg extended their traditional contest to men for the first time last year because of a shortage in candidates.

But Marko Steidel, 42, refused to accept the results after he was apparently beaten in a local vote by Antonia Lieske, 20.

He has taken the town’s tourism office to court, demanding €25,000 in compensation for, according to him, manipulating the vote.

However, pressed by the judge for “credible evidence”, he admitted that his allegation was “only an assumption”, The Local reports.

The judge quickly brought proceedings to a close and said he would deliver his judgment on Thursday 7 September.

Mr Steidel has been banned from participating in this year’s Apple Queen election because of the ongoing court case.