DOES your son or daughter have what it takes to be named the top tot in Hampshire?

Is your bundle of joy as adorable as last year's beaming winner Chanel Cooper?

The Daily Echo's Child of the Year competition, open to youngsters aged up to five, is back once again.

Big blue eyes and a cheeky grin were the winning combination for three-year-old Chanel, of Fletchland Lane, Totton.

She won the hearts of readers and judges alike in 2003, beating off competition from more than 900 other hopefuls.

One year on and it is time for doting parents from across Hampshire to put their children forward as potential winners of the Daily Echo Child of the Year 2004 competition.

They will be hoping the perfect pictures of their little treasures will lead to them toddling off with the title.

For the eighth year running the contest is being sponsored by The Mall Marlands shopping centre in Southampton.

Boasting more than 50 stores over two floors, The Mall Marlands offers everything from designer labels and affordable fashions through to home wares, furnishings, toys and gifts.

High street names include Matalan, the Disney Store, The Pier, Claire's Accessories, Legends, Capo, MkOne, AV, Pure Woman and West One.

Photographers from BCR Photographic will once again be on hand at The Mall Marlands between May 31 and June 12 - excluding Sundays - to capture your child's character.

As it's all free, parents literally have nothing to lose.

Prizes include hundreds of pounds worth of vouchers from the Disney Store, certificates and framed photographs.

Child of the Year 2004 will be voted on by Daily Echo readers who can view all the entries in a special supplement published on July 21. Daily Echo events organiser Jo Richardson said: "Last year's response was fantastic, but this time we are looking for more than 1,000 children to be put forward by their parents."

Cut out the coupon published in today's Daily Echo and take it along to the first floor of The Mall Marlands shopping centre between Cargo and Pine Village for your free photographic sitting.