Little Isabella’s smile wins Baby of the Year (From The Oxford Times)

Little Isabella’s smile wins Baby of the Year

11:00am Monday 21st May 2012 in News By Andrew Ffrench, covering Didcot and Wallingford. Call me on 01865 425425

LITTLE smiler Isabella Charlett could soon be making her first flight abroad after winning the Oxford Mail Baby of the Year competition.

There were 446 entries in this year’s contest, but six-month-old Isabella’s smiling face stood out for voters.

Now her parents Daisy Fleetwood and Craig Charlett, from Stowford Road in Headington, Oxford, are planning a £1,000 holiday after winning the overall first prize.

There were 12,000 phone, text and postal votes and Isabella, in the 0-9 month category, got the most votes, with three runners-up from each age group.

Daisy, 25, an office administrator at the Churchill Hospital in Headington, said: “I’m over the moon that Isabella has won first prize.

“She is a very happy smiley baby and when she smiles it cheers everyone up.

“I’m not quite sure where we will go on holiday but it will be somewhere warm in Europe, somewhere sunny, and as we will be taking Isabella we will choose a short flight.”

Runner-up Harry Trueman, now eight months old, was in the 0-9 month category.

Mum Katy Trueman, 32, of Cowley Road, Littlemore, who lives with husband Andrew Trueman, 32, a diplomat, said: “Harry’s a very good little boy who sleeps and eats well. He’s usually very happy and sociable.

“He often goes on play dates at friends’ houses and likes visiting Florence Park and Bury Knowle Park.

“We are really pleased that he has won this prize.”

Fourteen-month-old Carlito McMahon-Thomas, who competed in the 19-36 month category, was also a runner-up.

His mum Sasha McMahon, 24, of Fernhill Road, Cowley, a performing arts technician at Oxford Spires Academy, said: “I think Baby of the Year is a lovely idea.

“There were lots of cute babies in this year’s competition, so I’m very pleased Carlito is a runner-up.”

Jenson Goodgame in the 19-36-month category, who will be three this month, was also a runner-up.

Mum Vicki Purbrick, dad Dylan Goodgame and Jenson live in Merewood Avenue, Sandhills.

Ms Purbrick, 33, a customer adviser for Royal Mail, said: “We are delighted.”

Oxford Mail promotions manager Jo Coady said: “We were overwhelmed by the response this year.

“It has been a very successful competition and we hope to get even more entries next year.”

All photos were taken by Fraser Portraits and readers had a week to vote after a special supplement was published in the Oxford Mail.

The first prize is a £1,000 holiday from Flight Centre, family ticket to Legoland, a trophy and framed portrait.

The three runners up get £100, a trophy, a framed portrait, and family ticket to Legoland.