Express & Star Baby of the Year winners announced
These are the faces of the Black Country and Staffordshire's most beautiful babies and cutest children - having beaten hundreds of others to be crowned Baby of the Year.
More than 780 youngsters entered the competition after it was launched by the Express & Star in July, and at least 200,000 votes were cast to find the winners.
Four children were crowned the winners across the age categories after the most voting tokens printed in the Express & Star were collected, and their parents received £500 each, and one was given the title of overall winner - and an extra £250.
Shay Stevens, aged 16 months, claimed both a win in the 10 months to 18 months category, and the prize for the overall winner and was presented with a cheque by editor Keith Harrison in the Express & Star offices in Wolverhampton.
Addressing the group Mr Harrison said: "We've had hundreds and hundreds of entries and more than 200,000 votes and you got enough to win the categories, so congratulations to you all for winning the Express & Star's Baby of the Year competition."
Shay's parents, Hayley Keane, 35, and Ricki Stevens, 34, from Gill Street, West Bromwich, said they were "shocked and overwhelmed".
Miss Keane, a care assistant, added: "We were over the moon to have won, shocked and overwhelmed.
"Both our families, our friends, and people we didn't even know were voting for Shay.
"He's cheeky and into everything, a typical boy.
"The money will be going into his bank account."
Little Edyth Hodgkiss, aged two, won in the 19 to 35 months category.
Her parents, Neil, 35, and Keeli-Mari Hodgkiss, 34, said they had to do a double-take when they read that Edyth had won.
Mrs Hodgkiss, a customer services worker for Wolverhampton Council, said: "We had to do a double-take to make sure we'd read it correctly.
"She's that beautiful she deserves it, it's so lovely.
"She's very clever and inquisitive, she wants to know everything."
Edyth's prize money will be put towards a redecoration of her bedroom at their home in Green Lane, Wolverhampton.
Three-year-old Georgia Homer, of Park Meadow Avenue, Bilston, posed for the camera as she collected her award for the category three to five years.
Her mother Zoey Hartill, 30, said all of the family will be treated to a visit to Wolverhampton Grand Theatre to see this year's pantomime with the money.
The full-time carer said: "I was very proud when we found out she'd won. I phoned everyone with excitement.
"She's very sociable and loves talking and singing and dancing.
"She leaves a lasting impression on most people, she's always posing."
And Willow Thornes, now 11 months, was crowned the Baby of the Year in the nought to nine month category.
Her parents, Christina Walters, 31, and Gavin Thornes, 39, from Whitehouse Crescent, Wolverhampton, said: "I was really poorly when I found out she'd won. I phoned my mum up and when she answered I said 'hello this is the mother of the Baby of the Year speaking'.
"The money is going to be put in her bank account."
Mr Thornes added: "She's constantly happy, always jolly.
"All of the pictures will go in her memory box.
"At first it was a bit of a joke but then I decided she was going to win so we got everybody to vote."
Photographs of the children were taken over the course of two weeks at INTU Merry Hill and Mander Centre Wolverhampton back in July and August.
The winners were presented with their prizes on Tuesday.
Andy Maxwell, circulation sales manager for the Express & Star, said the response to the competition has been fantastic.
He said: “It is our first-ever event so it was a bit of a jump into the unknown and we did not know what to expect but we were overwhelmed with the response."
