The Newcastle Evening Chronicle’s new Baby Idol competition attracted 1,200 entrants and more than 56,000 votes.
It also boosted the Trinity Mirrordaily’s normal 89,000 sale by 3,000 on the day the Baby Idol supplement was published.
Editor Paul Robertson said: “This was an old idea given new impetus and proved to be a fantastic success. To achieve such a response in terms of both entrants and votes was amazing.”
The competition started with two weeks of photo shoots at the Metro shopping centre in Gateshead, where parents queued to have their babies pictured.
Every entrant then appeared in the 48-page Baby Idol supplement and readers were invited to vote for their favourites.
The winning toddler was 17-monthold Craig Owen, whose parents received £500 and a seven-night break at Pontins in Blackpool.
By Dominic Ponsford
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