Parents flocked to the St Nicholas Centre with baited breath as they waited patiently for the results of the Sutton Little Angels 2002 competition on Monday.

The popular contest sponsored by the Sutton Comet attracted more than 700 entries, which had to be painstakingly whittled down to just eight winners.

A girl and a boy were picked from four age categories by a panel of judges from the centre.

Harry Coombes and Merlie Anne Sebastian were the winners of the one and under group, while Natalie Young and Reily Evans were considered the angels of the one to two years olds.

Olivia Redwood-Connor and Omar Thomas won the two to three year old category while Jack Evans and Hannah Sebaduka took home the prizes for the three to five year olds.

Winners were awarded vouchers from the St Nicholas Centre, Monkies Creche and Buzz, dresses were donated for the girls from ExclusiV and The Portrait Studio gave each winning angel a camera.

The runners up in each group received a photograph of themselves from The Portrait Studio.

Proud mum Valerie Redwood-Connor, from Wallington, said: "I'm over the moon, really chuffed.

"Olivia looks lovely in her new dress and we are going to get her a designer outfit with the vouchers.

"Now I'll be able to take nice pictures of Olivia and hopefully get her some modelling work.

"Everyone has always told me she should be a model so I'm definitely going to look into it."

And Kerry Parker, the mother of ten month old winner Harry Coombes from Worcester Park, was equally delighted: "We're really, really pleased we can't believe it.

"I knew it was a nice picture of him but there were so many other lovely babies there.

"He loved all the attention, he's a very happy baby and I think the judges liked his smile."

Centre manager Chris Shaw, said: "The interest in the competition has been overwhelming and the centre would like to thank everyone who entered.

"It was very hard to choose winners because every baby was very special."

July 12, 2002 11:00