Mase is our top baby

Seventeen-month-old Mase Battersby has been voted Wanganui's top tot in the Wanganui Chronicle Baby Photo competition.

Mase was voted the winner from more than 160 entries into the baby photo competition.
Fellow favourites were Julliette Little in second place, followed by Phoenix Puia-Betham in third, Kymahni Glendinning in fourth and Eva Ashworth in fifth.

Entrants had their photos taken professionally by MaxiLab owner Ian Jones and published in the Chronicle for the public to vote on their favourites.

The public were given a little over three weeks to vote on their favourite baby via text or voting form.

Mase's parents, Ashleigh Lockett and Karl Battersby said they never expected to win, but they were pleased they had.

"I was texting everyone going, "Vote for Mase!" and keeping the paper entry forms," laughed Miss Lockett.

Miss Lockett and Mr Battersby said Mase was a happy child, and was usually only shy for a few minutes before he "wanted to touch everything."

Some of his favourite things were basketball, trucks and diggers, Miss Locket said.

"Karl plays basketball and whenever we go to a game he always wants to grab the ball and run away with it. He has his own little hoop at home."

Thanks to Mase's winning picture, the couple have won a Fujifilm FinePix S1500 Digital Camera, and a premium membership to Mothers Online.

All proceeds from the competition go directly to Plunket New Zealand.