THE top ten purrfect picture entries for The Northern Echo’s Christmas Pawtraits competition have been selected by celebrity judges, Ashleigh and Pudsey.

Voting has now opened. Click here to go to The Northern Echo's Facebook page where you can vote for your favourite. 'Like' the photo(s) you rate the most and the picture with the most likes at 12 noon on Wednesday, December 30, wins a professional pet photo shoot and framed print.

The stars of stage and screen took time out their busy schedule thrilling audiences with pantomime performances of Cinderella at Darlington’s Civic Theatre to visit the newspaper’s offices.

More than 100 entries from across the North-East and North Yorkshire were judged by the duo with ten-year-old Pudsey sniffing out his festive favourites.

The Northern Echo:
Pudsey sniffs out his favourite pictures from over 100 entries in the Christmas Pawtraits competition. Pictures: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Britain’s Got Talent winners and stars of Pudsey: The Movie selected dogs, cats, a guinea pig and a horse as their top picks.

And Pudsey’s owner, Ashleigh, said: “I feel bad for the ones I’m not going to pick because they’re all so good and cute.”

The Northern Echo:
The stars of this year's Darlington panto, Cinderella, had their work cut out with over 100 entries to chose from

An overall winner of the competition will be decided by Northern Echo readers in an online vote with the results being announced on New Year's Eve.

The winner will receive a professional pet portrait session and a framed print of their four-legged friend and details of the finalists and how to vote will be announced shortly.