IT'S time again for the beautiful babies of the two counties to pose in front of the camera in the hope of being crowned Worcester News Baby of the Year 2007.

Last year's winner became an overnight celebrity, according to his proud mum.

Kerry Goodwin looked back on her experience of entering the popular competition as parents across the city prepared to put their youngsters forward for this year's event.

Mrs Goodwin, whose son Flynn was overall winner in 2006, said she was inundated with calls from friends and relatives after they spotted his photograph in the paper.

Weeks after the result was announced she was still being stopped in the street by strangers asking: "Isn't this the little boy who won?"

Mrs Goodwin, of Barry Street, Arboretum, Worcester, said: "I was surprised how many people saw his photo. It was lovely."

Mrs Goodwin believes it was two-and-a-half-year-old Flynn's "crazy" curly hair and big blue eyes that helped him to the title.

The search now begins the 2007 winner in each category - up to nine months old, 10-18 months and 19-36 months.

Official photographers will be stationed in a shop opposite Next in Cathedral Plaza, Worcester, every day from Monday, March 5, to Saturday, March 10, between 10am and 5pm to this year's entrants. Parents then go back the next week to choose a photo of their child to appear in a colour supplement in the Worcester News.

Readers will vote their favourites onto a shortlist before a panel of judges makes the final decision, with winners and runners-up attending a special awards presentation. The top three in each category will receive a framed colour portrait of their child.