BABY fever hit Melksham Hospital on Saturday afternoon as tots came along to the charity baby show.

The annual event organised by the Melksham Hospital League of Friends attracted more than 75 babies.

Organiser, Marilyn Rowe, said: "This was the first time that I have organised the baby show and it was a lot of hard work.

"I became involved after the previous organiser, Patricia Weymouth was forced to pull out because of ill health. She was still a great help and without her efforts it would have been a lot more difficult.

"I will be doing it all over again next year and hopefully it will be easier."

Categories in the show included 0 to six months, six to 12 months, 12 to 18 months and 18 to 24 months. Mrs Rowe said: "Judges were looking for a lot of things in the babies but mainly development, personality and appearance.

"It is a shame that there has to be one winner as they are all so beautiful they all deserve to be winners really."

Winner of the 0 to six months category was Connor Day; Alexandra Holmes won the six to 12 months category; winner for the 12 to 18 months category was Nicole Chamber and Sharner Smith was the finalist of the 18 to 24 month category.

The winner of the overall baby contest was nine-months-old Lucy White.

Mum Natalie White said: "I was so shocked when she won.

"When she wasn't even placed in her age group I was so upset but I thought even though she's gorgeous and beautiful there's no way she would beat all the other babies in the contest." There were a range of prizes on offer for the winning infants including a variety of toys and gifts, but overall winner, Lucy, was presented with a cup to commemorate her achievement.

Mrs White said: "Lucy didn't do half the cute things for the judges that she normally does but everyone tells me that she's got lovely big eyes. I think it was her gorgeous smile that won the judges round in the end.

"It was a bit of a double celebration on Saturday as Lucy was exactly nine months old."

Visitors also flocked to the various stalls at the show which help raise money for charity.

Mrs Rowe said: "The baby show is always a real crowd puller and although we don't always make that much money out of it we do generate a lot of interest in the hospital and of course everyone loves to see the babies."