IT WAS the first and last modelling assignment for champion tot Bailey Barnes. As he perched on a caf table in Southampton's Marlands Shopping Centre, proud parents George and Gemma insisted the Daily Echo Baby of the Year 1999 would not be chas-ing more prizes or a lucrative pin-up career.

"We want him to go out a winner," said George.

"We just did it for a bit of fun. Our friends did it last year and said we should have a go with Bailey. We didn't expect to get to the final in our wildest dreams, let alone win it."

Eight-month-old Bailey beat more than 1,000 young-sters when his cute face, hazel eyes and light brown hair captured the hearts of Daily Echo readers and judges alike.

Curious onlookers - and Bailey's two grandmothers - cooed and clucked as George, Gemma and their son collected their prizes and posed for photographs yesterday.

They were presented with the Daily Echo crystal bowl, a framed photograph, a certificate and £375 worth of vouchers for The Entertainer toy shop.

Bailey is a Winnie the Pooh fan - his bedroom is decorated with AA Milne's loveable character - but his parents are more likely to invest the winnings in a garden swing for when he is a little older.

"At the moment he loves remote controls, mobile phones and anything he isn't allowed to get his hands on," joked Gemma.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.