IT was winning smiles all round as the bonniest babies picked up their prizes for being voted as Happy Tots winners.

The Northern Echo’s annual Happy Tots competition once again attracted hundreds of entrants vying to be named the best-looking babes in the borough and beyond.

More than 200 little ones visited pop-up photography studios in Darlington’s Cornmill Shopping Centre and the Newgate Centre in Bishop Auckland to have their pictures taken.

The competition was split into three age categories; 0-18 months, 18-36 months and 3-5 years and the winners for each were Imogen Martin, Kobe Maughan and Lukas Exelby-Townsend, respectively.

Imogen’s mum, Samantha Walker of Darlington, said she was surprised when her four-month-old was crowned winner.

“We’ve never entered anything like this before, I didn’t think she’d win as there were about 100 babies in the competition,” said Ms Walker: “It was a nice surprise.”

Faye Holliday of Harrowgate Hill was equally delighted that her two-year-old son Kobe scooped a prize.

She said: “I was very happy and very proud of him. He was a little bit shy of the camera at first, but he was a good boy really.”

Lucas’ mum, Rebecca Exelby of Northallerton, said she was “over the moon” at her three-year-old winning his category, adding that the portrait prize would take pride of place into the new home they have just moved into.

As well as winning a canvas print of their winning picture, the youngsters were also awarded a certificate and the accolade that they are the Northern Echo’s Happy Tots of 2015

Competition organiser, Sam Linfoot, said: “It has been another successful year with hundreds of cute kids having their photos taken; this competition is always well received by the public.”