FENLAND’S cutest youngsters are preparing to take centre stage as the 2012 Baby of the Year competition is launched by the Cambs Times and Wisbech Standard.

Almost 150 smiling babies graced the pages of our papers last year, as parents and carers flocked to our special studios to have their children’s photos taken at shoots in March and Wisbech.

The heart-warming images of smiling toddlers were also a big hit with readers across Fenland, with hundreds of votes flooding in to chose a winner in each age group.

There are again three categories in this year’s competition. They are: 0-18 months, 18-36 months and 36 months to five years.

A photographer from the Portrait Group will be at Babee Boutique in High Street, March, from Tuesday February 7 to Saturday February 11. The studio will be open each day from 10am-4pm.

A month later, the Portrait Group will set up a studio at the Co-operative Store in the Horsefair Shopping Centre, Wisbech. The studio will be open from 10am-4pm from Tuesday March 6 until Saturday March 10.

It is free to enter both competitions and photographs will be available to buy from the Portrait Group.

All the pictures taken will appear in our newspapers and readers will be able to vote for their favourite in each category. The winner in each group will be awarded a black and white contemporary portrait, courtesy of the Portrait Group.