EIGHT-MONTH-OLD Olivia Sridinko has been crowned Herald Express Baby of the Year 2009.

Baby Olivia, of Torquay, won the hearts of Herald Express readers who voted her the winner of the 0 to nine months age category and also made sure she took the sought-after title.

Proud mum Laura Langley, 19, was very pleased and said the whole family were screaming with joy when they found out.

"When I found out Olivia had won I was excited," she said.

"I spent so much money and so much time doing the entries it was a good job we won, although we were quite surprised."

Laura and Olivia won £300, a trophy and they will also get an enlarged print of the photo entered into the competition.

But Olivia faced tough competition in the shape of 12-month-old Cameron Bolton, also from Torquay.

Cameron, who was one of the two runners up, hit the headlines when he was born weighing a whopping 11lb and 7oz.

Now he has muscled in on the top spot in the 10 to 18 months category in the Herald Express competition.

His parents will receive £100, a trophy and an enlarged print of the image they entered into the competition.

Proud dad Paul Bolton, 34, said: "Cameron is becoming quite a celebrity. He was in the papers when he was born. This will be something to look back on when he is older.

"It is brilliant, we are well chuffed. We were hoping we would win.

"I guess every mum and dad think their baby is the cutest, but once he got through to the final 20 we were on Facebook and the email urging as many friends and family as possible to vote."

The second runner-up, Connor Nunn, was top of the pile in the 19 to 39 month category.

Pleased mum Charmaine Thomson, from Torquay, said: "I am really proud, really happy, chuffed. I didn't expect him to make it through this far."

Charmaine and Connor will get a cheque for £100, a trophy and an enlarged print of the image entered into the competition.

More than 700 babies entered the annual baby contest and as the votes came flooding the cute children were whittled down to a small number of finalists.

Alison Boni, Herald Express audience manager, said the number of votes this year had been 'phenomenal'.

Photographers set up at a number of venues across South Devon where proud parents could bring their bundles of joy for a snapping session with a professional photographer.

Parents entered their favourite picture into the contest and pictures of all the bonnie babies were printed in the Herald Express along with voting coupons.