The votes have been counted after readers voted for this year's winners in Burton Mail's Baby and Toddler of the Year competition.

The competition is open to all toddler and babies in the area. Free photo sessions were held in Coopers Square shopping centre where parents could meet photographer Andrea Powell and have pictures taken of their little bundles of joy. The photos were then entered into the coveted contest.

The numbers of entries was as high as ever. They were divided into four age categories, which are nought to nine months, 10 to 18 months, 19 to 35 months and three to five years old.

The winner from each category takes home £250, with the overall winner bagging an extra £500 and the Baby of the Year 2017 title.

The pictures of all those who entered had been published in the Burton Mail in a special supplement before readers had their say on who was the cutest tot in town. In total, more than 810,000 votes were cast and the top ten in each category went before the judging panel who then chose the overall winners.

There were 335 babies and toddlers entered into this year's competition, giving the judges an extremely difficult job of choosing the cutest babies from the shortlist - but after much deliberation we can now announce the winners.

Connor-Joe Sherriff, aged 14 months, was crowned the overall winner of the competition after taking the title of 10 to 18 months category.

The 14-month-old won the hearts of readers and judges alike to take home the crown and prize money of £750.

Mum, Michelle Cawley, 32, from Horninglow, said: "I'm still in shock a little bit. I can't believe Connor won. We were so happy he even made it to the final, let alone taking the main prize!

Connor-Joe Sherriff was crowned Baby of the Year in this year's competition

"We're so pleased and thankful to everyone who voted; it means so much to us."

Not only has Connor taken the overall title of Burton's cutest baby or toddler, he has also won the hearts of his mum and dad, David Sherriff, 31. The couple were trying to have a baby for 10 years before Michelle fell pregnant after IVF treatment.

The couple struggled to conceive naturally and eventually went down the line of trying IVF, meaning Michelle was subjected to months of injections, blood tests and worry, but she says it was all worth it when she found out she was pregnant.

She said: "When I found out I was pregnant, I couldn't believe it. We were just thinking 'oh gosh it is finally happening!'

"He's had a tough year because he was born with a club foot so he's had to have an operation and had his foot in a cast for a while. He's doing much better now and we're so happy he was won the competition.

"We're doing his bedroom up as a treat so we will use some of the money to get things for that; he is dinosaur mad so we're going to see what he can find. The rest we're going to put away for when he is a little bit older."

Caster Matthie took home the crown in the zero to nine months category

Winner of the nought to nine months category was Caster Matthie, aged six months, a cheeky chappy whose mum says his smile can melt hearts.

Mum, Rebecca Johnson, 35, said: "We were absolutely over the moon when we found out! We're so proud of Caster and we're so glad other people think he's as cute as we do!

"We have never entered him in anything like this before, but we thought because he's so cute, we would give it a go.

"His smile can make your heart melt; everyone says it.

"I'm going to open him up a bank account and put his £250 prize money in there. I have one for my daughter and they are a great way to save up for when they get older."

Jaydon Starmer took home the title of the cutest 19 to 35 months category and his big brown eyes won the hearts of the judges and taking home the crown.

The two-year-old has certainly done his mum and older sisters proud by winning his category.

Jaydon Starmer won the hearts of the judges to win the 19 to 35 months category

Jaydon's mum, Lynsey Clayton, 40, said: "I was really happy when I found out.

"He was in last year's competition and made it to the final, so it is great that he won this year. We're all very happy.

"I'm going to save his prize money for him so that he can choose something he'll like when he is a bit older."

Jaydon has three older sisters, Nicole, 23, Jessica, 18 and Keira, 12, who are all very happy that Burton Mail readers think their little brother is as cute as they do.

The winner of the three to five years category was Shay Gaynor, who has entered into the competition five times and this was his last chance to be be considered.

Mum, Natalie Stewart, 28, said she was thrilled when she found out Shay had won his category.

She said: "I was definitely shocked when I found out he had won his category. I just wasn't expecting it at all.

"I told him when I picked him up from school and he ran around the playground telling everyone! He was thrilled to bits.

This year was the fifth time Shay Gaynor had been entered, and this time he won!

"He's said he's going to get treats for all his friends, for his baby sister and for me and his dad. We're going to make sure he gets some treats himself too; he deserves it! The rest we're going to put away in the bank for him."

Burton Mail promotions manager Tracey Smith said: "We know Baby and Toddler of the Year is our readers' favourite competition and it is ours too.

"This year we have had a bumper batch of beautiful baby pictures and judging by the huge pile of envelops we received each day, our readers enjoyed voting for them.

"Judging was a difficult task as always, and we would like to thank everyone who entered; without them we wouldn't have a competition."