The Spring Babes winner and runners-up. From left: Stellan Tonsberg (10 months) with parents Frederik and Aimie; Simara Figueira (11 months) with parents Zelinda Figueira and Heluio Figueira; and Jack Comer (18 months) with parent Kirsty Comer Picture: TONY PIKE (01003897)

A RECORD number of mums and dads entered their babies and toddlers into this year’s Spring Babes competition.

But the smiling face of ten-month-old Stellan Tonsberg won the hearts of JEP readers and competition judges, who last week crowned him as the 2010 winner.

Parents Frederik (28) and Aimie (29) Tonsberg, of St Helier, did not know until the day of the final that their son had made it into the last three.

They had moved house so never read a letter inviting them to a presentation evening when the winner would be announced.

It was only when a competition organiser telephoned Mrs Tonsberg last week that she found out how well Stellan had done.

‘I was completely over the moon that he was down to the final three, but then he won,’ she said. ‘It was one of the proudest days ever.

‘Every mum thinks they have the most beautiful baby in the world. It’s nice to know that other people feel the same as me. To me, whether he had won or not he is the most beautiful baby in the world.’

A total of 246 babies were entered in this year’s competition – the highest in the competition’s 20-year history.

Runners-up were Simara Figueira (11 months), daughter of Zelinda and Heluio Figueira, and Jack Comer (18 months), son of Kirsty Comer.

The Spring Babes winner and runners-up. From left:  Stellan Tonsberg (10 months) with parents Frederik and Aimie; Simara Figueira (11 months) with parents Zelinda Figueira and Heluio Figueira; and Jack Comer (18 months) with parent Kirsty Comer Picture: TONY PIKE (01003897)