SMILING Leighton Kerr has a very big reason to be happy. His gorgeous grin and beautiful brown eyes have captured the coveted title of Daily Echo Child of the Year 2004.

Leighton won the hearts of readers to make it into the final of the competition to find Hampshire's top tot.

And a panel of judges agreed that Leighton should win the top prize.

He beat off competition from 764 other hopefuls to win the top prize after his perfect picture, taken when he was 11 months old, appeared in the Daily Echo's Child of the Year special supplement along with all the other youngsters aged up to five.

Mum Wai-Ling and dad Jason are delighted at the stunning success of their son, now 13 months old, who is being christened tomorrow at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Portswood, Southampton.

Wai-Ling, 34, who works part-time at the Southampton branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland, said: "I feel really chuffed.

"I was at work when my husband told me Leighton had won. I was screaming in the office 'My baby has won!'

"I was really happy that he had made it to the final. I never expected this."

Smartly dressed in his best outfit Leighton, whose good looks come from his Chinese and Jamaican background, was happy to pose for the camera at the family home in Newbridge, Netley Abbey.

But Wai-Ling, who is expecting a second child in January, said her smiling son is becoming more camera shy, preferring to play with his favourite little bear or look at his Winnie the Pooh book instead.

As parents of the overall winner, Wai-Ling and Jason, also 34, were awarded a Daily Echo Child of the Year 2004 crystal bowl and £200 vouchers to spend at The Disney Store at The Mall Marlands shopping centre in Southampton. They will also receive a certificate and framed photograph, courtesy of BCR Photographic.

The Mall Marlands shopping centre sponsored the competition for the ninth year running.

WINNING TOTS TOT UP PRIZES:

RUNNER-UP in the ten to 18-month category was Harvey Cummins, of Effingham Gardens, Sholing, Southamp-ton, while Kier McRae of Lower New Road, West End, came third.

In the birth to nine-month category, Jay Tongs of Neva Road, Midanbury, Southamp-ton, came in first place followed by Joseph Callaghan of Springfield Close, Wickham, in second and Morgan Hicks of Shooters Hill Close, Sholing, South-ampton, in third.

George Gerrard of Radstock Road, Southamp-ton, won the 19 to 36 month category with Tia Peters of Arden Close, Bitterne, South-ampton, in second and Ashleigh Wilkins of Belmont Close, Dibden Purlieu, in third.

In the final category, for children aged from three to five, Alexia Deighton of Warburton Road, Thornhill, Southampton, was victorious with Callum Dore of Bramshott Road, Weston, Southampton, in second place and Jodie Yates of Rylandes Court, Maybush, Southampton, coming third.

Each category winner and runner-up receives Disney vouchers, a framed print and a certificate.