Is your baby the bonniest of them all? (From Banbury Cake)

Is your baby the bonniest of them all?

3:00pm Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News By Pete Hughes, Reporter. Call me on 01865 425431

THERE is a baby boom in an Oxford shopping centre.

Proud mums and doting dads have been turning up to a photoshoot for the Oxford Mail Baby of the Year 2013 competition.

This week, Fraser Portraits has set up shop in the Westgate to tempt passing parents into entering the competition and a chance of winning a £1,000 holiday, a canvas print of their bonny baby and a trophy to treasure, courtesy of Fraser.

Mother-of-four Lydia Harper, who lives in Littlemore, has high hopes for seven-month-old son Devon.

“He’s just gorgeous,” she said, “He has got lovely long brown eyelashes, big blue eyes and he is always happy and relaxed, just a wonderful boy.

“I have never won anything, and this holiday would mean a massive amount for the family – we won’t be going on holiday otherwise.”

Lucy Barrett, 26, had five-month-old Lucas photographed for the contest.

“He is beautiful, quite chilled out and always happy,” she said.

Every entrant will be featured in a special supplement in the Oxford Mail on Tuesday, April 23, and readers will be able to vote for their favourite.

Last year, 12,000 postal, phone and text votes were made in the competition, where around 400 babies battled it out.

Fraser photographer Andy Bagworth said: “There has definitely been stiff competition. All the kids have been good so far. It is all about the facial expression. We are after big, beaming smiles.”

Mother-of-two Amy Kozel, originally from Hungary, was shopping with 18-month-old daughter Evelyn Victoria and decided to give the competition a go.

Mrs Kozel, who lives in North Oxford, said: “She is photographed quite a lot and she is very photogenic because of her bold blue eyes.

“She is very friendly and smiles a lot, and she sleeps through the night.”

Fraser’s photographers will be in the Westgate every day up to and including Saturday, from 10am to 4pm.

Next week, they will be snapping happy tots at Matalan in Cowley from 10am to 4pm until Saturday, March 23.

There are three age categories: up to nine months, 10 to 18 months and 19 to 36 months.

There will be one overall winner and runners-up from the other two categories. The contest will be decided by public votes, which can be cast by text, phone or coupon.

The grand holiday prize is courtesy of Vauxhall Holiday Park, Great Yarmouth.

• To enter, fill in the form printed in the Oxford Mail and take it with you to the photoshoot