THOUSANDS of proud parents, grandparents and family friends have voted for the tot they want crowned as the Evening News' Baby of the Year in a record-breaking poll.

The staggering total of 53,198 is four times as many as last year's record of 12,500 - which organisers thought they might just about beat.

Evening News staff have literally been burning the midnight oil counting the piles of forms sent in after a 24-page supplement was published at the beginning of this month.

It pictured 550 miniature models, aged up to three, who were bidding to inherit the title from last year's winner, Demi Sampson.

Promotions manager Sarah Taylor has been stunned by the response.

"I've run the competition since we started it in 1995, and I'm always overwhelmed by our readers' support," she said.

"I was delighted with last year's votes and thought we might just beat it - but this year's response is unbelievable.

"I want to thank all our readers who took the time to vote, as a well as a special thank-you to everyone in the Newspaper Sales Office who helped to count and sort all the votes."

Voters have been waiting since voting closed two weeks ago to hear whether their little charmer has been a success. They will be put out of their misery this week.

The top 10 contestants aged up to nine months will be named in tomorrow's Evening News, with the 10 to 18-month-olds revealed on Friday and the 19 to 36-month-olds on Saturday.

A winner and two runners-up will then be chosen from each group before an Evening News panel picks an overall winner.

He or she will receive a framed colour portrait worth £250, an engraved silver salver and £150 cash.

The two lucky other finalists will receive a portrait worth £150 plus £175 cash and runners-up will be presented with a portrait, worth £75.