THE search is on to find the bonniest baby or toddler in Bradford as the 2016 Happy Tots competition gets under way this week.

The first photoshoots for the annual competition run by the Telegraph & Argus, which is now in its 15th year, begin on Thursday, January 28, and run until Saturday, January 30.

Parents wanting to enter their children into the contest need to go along to the Kirkgate Shopping Centre in Bradford city centre to be in with a chance of winning some great prizes.

They should visit the shopping centre between 10am and 4pm to get photos of their children taken by a professional photographer.

Parents who enter their children, must return to the Kirkgate Centre at the time and date stated on their appointment card to choose which photograph they would like to appear in the T&A Happy Tots supplement, which will be published in March.

There will also be the opportunity to buy more photographs from Fraser Portraits at the Kirkgate Centre.

If parents fail to return to the Kirkgate and choose which picture they would like to see in the paper, then their child will not be entered into the competition. This is a change from previous years when children were entered automatically.

More photoshoots take place at the Kirkgate Centre between February 2 and 6, again from 10am to 4pm.

There are five categories: up to six months; seven months to 12 months; 13 months to 24 months; 25 months to 36 months, and 37 months to five years.

The winners in each age category will get a 14in by 10in canvas print of the child’s photograph, a one month play pass to the Jungle At The Junction soft play gym at Black Dyke Mills in Queensbury and a trophy.

The overall winner will get a 20in by 16in canvas print of the child’s photo, a play pass, a trophy, and a £500 voucher to spend at the Kirkgate Shopping Centre, which has again teamed up with the T&A for this year’s contest.

All entries will be published in a special colour supplement in the T&A, with readers will be asked to vote for their choice of winner from each age category.

The three highest votes from each category will then go forward to the final for the chance to be named overall winner.

Last year’s winner was Alanah Johnson, then 11 months, of Little Horton, who followed in the footsteps of her elder sister Amelia, the competition winner from four years earlier.

After Alanah's win, mum Jessica Smith said: "It must be the first time that two siblings have won. Amelia is so proud of her for winning."