PROUD mum Jackie Peters wiped away the tears as she stepped up on stage with 16-month-old Kira after being named as this year's Star Mother and Baby winners.

And there to watch them walk away with the title was doting husband and dad, Barry, who had persuaded his wife to enter the popular competition.

The couple, who also have a four-year-old son, Jackson, couldn't believe it when Jackie was called back up on stage.

A delighted Jackie, who works as a cook in a hostel for young people, told the Star afterwards: "Barry saw the competition in the paper and said that I should go in for it with Kira but I wasn't sure. He kept pushing me to enter and in the end I decided to go for it. Now I'm glad I did."

Jackie, from Chain Lane, Blackbrook, added: "Kira's a really laid-back baby who loves Top of the Pops and she dances to any music with a good beat. We're really lucky with Kira and at night she always sleeps through, as long as she's comfortably tucked in between me and her dad.

"Her big brother Jackson was delighted when we won the competition and afterwards he called her his little princess, he was really proud of her."

To celebrate their win the Peters family, along with Jackie's mum and dad, Ron and Jennie, went out for a slap-up meal and then finished off the evening with a celebratory bottle of wine. Second place in the competition went to an ecstatic Julie Hardman and her 14-month-old daughter, Jessica Lily, from Green Lane, Rainford.

This was the start of a successful day for the Hardman family whose five-year old son, Harry later went on to win the Starlad competition.

An ecstatic Julie, a part-time sales consultant for Next in St Helens, said: "It's fantastic. I was really nervous beforehand but once we got on stage I was fine.

"Jessica is a fabulous baby who loves music, she's even worked out how to switch the stereo on. Her favourite singer at the moment is Tom Jones, she loves dancing to his music."

Third place went to Leanne Tipton and her six-month-old daughter, Sarah Louise, from Vista Road, Newton-le-Willows. Leanne, who is planning to start a course in child psychology at St Helens College this September, was over the moon with the result. She said: "I can't believe we got through to the final, let alone got a place in the first three. Sarah Louise is my first baby and has always been fantastic and into everything. All the family are so proud of her.