FROM the hundreds that entered, this year’s Daily Echo Child of the Year has come down to these finalists.

Having beat off competition from the scores of others who entered these 20 children are now in the running to win the coveted title.

We asked for you entries to find this year’s bonniest babies and cheeky tots, and we were overwhelmed with entries.

Our finalists drew in the most public votes in their age categories after appearing in a special supplement.

Hundreds of votes were cast and those with the most have now made it through as fina- lists, which we are revealing today.

Now it is up to a panel of judges to decide who claims the overall prize and sought after title.

First they must chose winners in each category before they then get put forward to go head to head for the overall title of Daily Echo’s Child of the Year 2016.

But they have a tough job on their hands as it would be difficult to pick from this gorgeous bunch of little ones.

Those in the running to contest the youngest age category of 0 to 9 months are: Charlotte Gooding, Violet Missy-Sue Mabey, Alice Sullivan, Alayah Jacobs and Aaliyah Lynette Mclean Finalists in the 10 to 18 month category are: Jake Archie Sellwood, Max O’Hara-Wyatt, Ashton Kirkland,Hollie Oakley and Rueben May.

Those contesting the 19 to 36-month category include: Myah Jane Noke, Dalton Cooper, Cody Lee McQuaid, Ellie Murdoch-Dunn and Keira Collings And in our eldest category, the finalists are: Layton Charlton, Summer Philpott-Styles, Mehdi Kassimy, Emily Mellors and Sofia Maclean.

Congratulations to all of them for making the final. Now the decison must be made as to who will take the overall crown once the panel has met.

The winners of each category will receive £100 worth of vouchers with the runners up getting £25 vouchers.

As well as the vouchers the overall winner will also get a framed version of their winning picture.