THE winner of this year’s Worcester News Baby of the Year competition has been announced.

Six-month-old Jaylen Green, of Droitwich, beat 350 other entries to claim the title.

Delighted mum Abby Green was shocked and extremely proud when she discovered Jaylen had won during a presentation ceremony at the Worcester News offices in Hylton Road, yesterday.

She said: “When we entered I didn’t have a clue that he would get this far.

“There were so many babies that this has come as a real shock, but I’m very proud of him.

“He is just a really happy baby who has always got a smile on his face.”

Proud granddad John Green called Jaylen “a real star in the making”.

“Obviously I’m biased but I always thought he had as good a chance as any of winning,” he said.

“I’m just so happy for him and very, very proud.”

Jaylen was also winner of the 0-nine months category.

The family received prizes of a complimentary photoshoot worth £1,500 at Picture Perfect Photography, a bouquet of flowers and the coveted Worcester News Silver Salver.

Sienna-Rose Shearon, aged 18 months, of Blackpole, Worcester, secured first place in the 10-18 months age group.

Mum Hayley Shearon said: “I’m really proud of her. She was in it last year, but she was only three months old then so I think she has got used to it now.

“I hoped she would do well but you never know because there are so many cute babies.”

The winner in the 19-36 months category was Sky-Finley Berry, aged 23 months, of Warndon, Worcester.

Parents Michelle Cox and Michael Berry were thrilled with her success. Mr Berry said: “Our family always said that she would win.

“The first time we entered last year she didn’t even make the runners-up, but this time we thought she would do better. We’re really happy and really proud.”

Both individual category winners received a complimentary photoshoot from Picture Perfect worth £750.

A panel of judges, including Worcester News editor Peter John and promotions manager Sarah Bevan, also picked two runners-up in each category.

These were Brooklyn Corbett and Lola Lewis in the 0-nine months age group; Brooke Kenyon and Riley-Joe Conlan in the 10-18 months category; and Riley Smith and Keira Bryant in the 19-36 months section.

Every runner-up received a framed colour portrait of the picture that was originally entered into the competition.

Worcester News deputy editor John Wilson, who handed out the prizes, said it had been “no easy task” choosing the winners from the bumper crop of entries.

The 351 babies who originally featured in our massive 20-page colour supplement back in March were whittled down to three shortlists of 10 after more than 12,500 reader votes via text, phone and post, before the judges agonised over their final decisions.