A GREAT opportunity is coming up for parents to get their little ones in the frame for a picture to treasure - and at the same time get them in the running for some super prizes.

Gazette Newspapers and Festival Place, in Basingstoke, have teamed up again for Kute Kidz 2004 - the popular annual event that sees hundreds of youngsters have their photos published in The Gazette.

As happened last year, the photographs of babies and children up to 60 months old will be taken in the award-winning shopping centre.

This year's picture sessions in Porchester Square will take place from Monday, October 25, to Friday, October 29, between 10am and 5pm each day.

The photographs will be taken by staff from the well-known Portraits firm and parents will need to take a voucher along to have their child's picture taken free of charge.

The special vouchers will appear in The Gazette on Friday.

To make the event even more fun, Festival Place staff have arranged various activities during the week - including a pumpkin hunt - and goody bags will also be handed out to youngsters who have their pictures taken for Kute Kidz 2004.

All the photographs taken during the five days will be published in a special supplement which will appear in The Gazette on Friday, November 26.

There will be three age groups - up to 18 months, 19 months to 36 months, 37 months up to 60 months - and the winners will be determined in two ways.

Readers will vote for their favourite child in each age group and a panel of judges will also award first, second and third prizes in the different sections.

The support of sponsors is crucial to the success of the event and, once again, there has been excellent backing from local businesses.

Festival Place, Debenhams, Klick, Marks & Spencer, Basingstoke Sports Centre, The Entertainer, The Magic Custard Company, Pumpkin Patch, Woolworths, Clarks, The Bear Factory, Birdworld, Marwell Zoo and Paultons Park have all put up prizes for this year's competition.

Gazette Newspapers editor Mark Jones said: "This is always a popular annual event and we are grateful for the excellent support that Kute Kidz 2004 has received from the organisations who have donated prizes."

Parents need to take along one voucher for each child they wish to have photographed.

Rules

No purchase necessary. No cash alternatives. The judges' decision is final.

All winners will be notified in writing. Photographs will appear in the special supplement.

By allowing their child or children to be photographed, all parents or guardians accept that the photographs may be used for publicity purposes.

Gazette Newspapers employees' children are not eligible to enter. Gazette Newspapers employees are not eligible to vote.