EVERY child is a winner to their parents, but the time has come again to see if your bundle of joy could be crowned the Worcester News Baby of the Year.

Each year the newspaper receives hundreds of entries to the competition which asks readers to cast their votes for the most lovely little one.

Anyone wanting to enter the competition is invited to bring their child to Crown- Gate shopping centre in Friary Walk, Worcester, next week – from Monday, March 2, to Saturday, March 7, where they can have their child photographed for free by the competition’s official photographers, Fraser Portraits.

These pictures will then appear in a full-colour supplement in the newspaper.

Sienna Sumner-Virk was the overall winner of last year’s competition and also the winner of the 10-18 months category.

Her mother, Lisa Sumner, said: “Sienna gets noticed everywhere she goes. She wears her hair in buns still so she’s quite recognisable, but everyone always stops us to say they saw her in the paper.

“She’s two now and she’s always happy and singing. I definitely want to enter her again this year.”

Carol Parkinson, whose daughter Daisy won the 0-9 months category in last year’s competition, said she is also considering entering her daughter again this year.

“It was so much fun last time. I doubt Daisy knew anything about it but it was lovely for the family and for the people who voted for Daisy.

"Daisy is doing great, she is 19 months old now and walking,”Mrs Parkinson, who lives in Clifton-upon-Teme, said.

“It will be nice for her when she’s older to look back on the articles and know that her parents made the effort to involve her in things like this. It is great fun to take part and we would recommend it to anyone. It’s been nothing but a good experience.”

The photographers will be on hand from 10am-4pm and the competition is open to all children aged 0-36 months who live in Worcestershire.

Sarah Bevan, promotions manager at the Worcester News, said: “This year we are once again inviting readers to bring down their babies to our official photographers, Fraser Portraits, to have their babies photographed absolutely free for our annual Worcester News Baby of the Year competition in association with CrownGate.

"The full colour supplement containing all the photos will be published in the Worcester News at the end of March.

"There are some great portrait prizes to be won.”