Joanne Graves has just turned 40, and she isn't the only one celebrating a milestone this year.

The News & Star's Bonny Babies competition - which starts on Monday - is marking its own four decades in 2017.

For Joanne, her victory back in 1979 - the second year of the competition - is something she can never forget.

Her mother still has the photograph on the wall of her stairs at home and that of Joanne's sister Rebecca, who won second place in 1984.

Joanne Carr, as she was then, was winner of the girls 1-3 year old section and was just two years old. She lived at Scalegate Road in Upperby, Carlisle with her family.

Joanne, who turned 40 last week, is now a busy mother of two and is married to husband Paul Graves.

They live at Harraby, Carlisle, and have two children - Charlotte, who is 10, and five-year-old Ellis.

Joanne, who is a room supervisor at the city's Parkfield children's nursery on Dalston Road, said: "I don't remember much about winning as was so little but do still have the little trophy and a large framed picture of my winning photo.

"My mam has had the picture on the wall at home for as long as I can remember and also the picture of my sister's second place photo."

"When I entered Charlotte and Ellis for Bonny Babies people would say to me 'I remember when you won the Bonny Babies'.

"On my wedding day my dad mentioned that I was a Bonny Baby winner in his speech, adding that he was proud of me and also back then when I won."

Bonny Babies has been a tradition in Les and Paula Stewart's household too at Causewayhead near Silloth.

Brothers Charlie, Robbie and Harry Stewart have all been entered into competition - with two of them winning the same category 11 years apart.

Charlie, now 19 and an apprentice joiner, won the one year and under section in 1998, the category Harry went on to win in 2009.

Mum Paula, office manager for Atlas Concrete in Silloth, said: "My mum Carole entered Charlie first off. She ran the butcher's shop in Eden Street and people were coming in saying they were entering their children and grandchildren so she said she'd take Charlie along. I think a photographer was coming to the town to take pictures.

"It was a complete shock when he won, we really didn't expect it. But from there we entered all of the boys when they were old enough. We wanted them to be all the same."

Harry, now eight and a pupil at Holme St Cuthbert School at Mawbray, is still proud of his win, mum Paula says.

"We still look at the photos in the paper every year and I like to vote," she said.

"It's nice to see all of the children and you look for people you know, their children or grandchildren."

Paula added: "There's quite a big gap between Charlie and Harry, who is still quite proud that he won. He's got his trophy and he does talk about it. Charlie got a trophy too."

Rachel Unwin, an emergency medical technician with the North West Ambulance Service, has also enjoyed seeing her two young children reach the finals of the annual photographic competition.

Her son Jack, now aged six, was in the 2012 final while daughter Nellie won the girls 1-3 years category three years later.

Rachel, who lives with husband Simon and their children in Morton West, Carlisle, said: "It's a family thing. My sister Sarah Borthwick always took her boys along to enter the competition so we thought it would be good to do it too. Her boys are older now, Callum's 12 and Liam is eight, so it is nice for it to continue through Jack and Nellie.

"Going to a photographic studio isn't something you do everyday so it is nice for the experience and to get an amazing photo of your child.

"Also, everyone wants to see their child in the paper."

Nellie is now preparing to become one of the first children to start at the new nursery opening at Newlaithes Infant School, Morton, in September where her brother is already a pupil.

Taylor-Mae Graham took the 2016 title in the girls 1-3 year group, following Nellie's success 12 months earlier.

Taylor-Mae's mum Kayleigh Lambert, of Bowman Street, Carlisle said: "It's a great competition. You get brilliant photos. Taylor-Mae loved it going into Aperture's studio.

"I was ecstatic when she won, we never expected it at all. When we entered we did it for the photo. When I got a call from the News & Star later to say she'd reached the final we couldn't believe it.

"When she won Taylor-Mae was so excited she had to ring her grandad who was on holiday in Spain at the time. She was just so excited."

Taylor-Mae won £150 worth of vouchers to spend at Gretna Gateway Outlet Village, which is also supporting this year's competition.

Kayleigh, a 28-year-old support worker, said: "She enjoyed spending her vouchers.

"She went to Next and bought herself some new trainers then she loved going in the Cadbury shop to buy some treats."
Kayleigh's older daughter Katie, who is now nine, took part in Bonny Babies in 2008.

Kayleigh's partner Garry Graham, a 30-year-old mechanic, had also taken part when he was a child.

Maryport's Wendy Wright is one of the photographers from across north and west Cumbria who snap hundreds of cute children every year for the competition.

Wendy's forte is family and children's photography.

She said: "I've probably photographed over 1,000 children in the 10 years or so I've been doing Bonny Babies.

"When I first started I had a studio in the town but now I have a studio at home.

"In one year I took more than 200 children's photographs for it and people travel from all around to visit. I get people coming from as far afield as Whitehaven coming up to see me.

"My diary is already booked with appointments already for next week when the competition opens."

She added: "The pictures are a head and shoulders shot and they can take just five minutes or longer, depending on the child.

"It is good fun. I've entered all five of my children and Darren, the oldest, is 40 now. He was two when I put him in."

Chris Story, associate editor of the News & Star and The Cumberland News, said: "We are very proud of our Bonny Babies competition and to see it reaching its 40th anniversary is amazing.

"We look forward to seeing this year's entries."

BONNY BABIES FACTFILE

* The competition was started in 1978 by the then editor Vernon Addison and has run every year since.

* With approximately 625 entries every year, around 25,000 babies have taken part since the competition was launched (although some, of course, entered for more than one year)

* The most popular names in the first year were Nicola, Joanne and Claire for girls and Mark, James and Andrew for boys

* In the 1980s popular names were Jessica and Sarah and Matthew and Richard.

* Classic names continue to feature strongly - such as Chloe and Luke in 2000 and Ellie and Jack in 2006.

* There has been a resurgence in "older-type" names such as Archie and Violet in more recent years.

* Sponsors of the competition over the years have included Carlisle-based Cumbrian Co-op, Binns (House of Fraser), Marks & Spencer, The Lanes Shopping Centre, and the current sponsor Gretna Gateway Outlet Village.

* Some of the many photographers participating over the years have included the now retired Tony Wiseman, who was based at Central Studio, Carlisle; Harringtons of Penrith; Wendy Wright of Maryport; and the latest to join Highams of Maryport.

Where to enter Bonny Babies:

ASPATRIA: Highams will be at St Kentigern’s Hall, Aspatria and at Hayton, Aspatria. Ring 016973 23339 for an appointment.

CARLISLE: Aperture, 4-6 Corporation Road from Tuesday to Saturday each week. Ring 01228 528097 for an appointment.

CLEATOR MOOR: Vanessa Jane Photography. Ring 01946 813120 for an appointment.

COCKERMOUTH: Highams will be at the Scout Hut, Cockermouth. Ring 016973 23339 for an appointment.

EGREMONT: Vanessa Jane Photography. Ring 01946 813120 for an appointment.

FRIZINGTON: Vanessa Jane Photography. Ring 01946 813120 for an appointment.

LONGTOWN: Aperture will be in the Graham Arms Hotel, English Street, Longtown, on Monday, 17 July. Ring 01228 528097 for an appointment

MARYPORT: Highams will be in the Methodist Drop-in Centre, Maryport. Ring 016973 23339 for appointments.

Wendy Wright will be at Queens Avenue, Grasslot, Maryport. Ring 0787 656 1420 for an appointment.

PENRITH: Aperture will be at the Evergreen Hall on Monday, 10 July and Monday, 7 August. Ring 01228 528097 for an appointment.

WIGTON: Aperture will be in the Methodist Church Hall on Monday, 31 July. Ring 01228 528097 for an appointment.

WHITEHAVEN: Vanessa Jane will be at the Whitehaven News office, 148 Queen Street, on Wednesday, 28 June and Wednesday, 5 July. Ring 01946 813120 for an appointment.

WORKINGTON: Highams will be at the Oval Centre, Salterbeck, Workington. Ring 016973 23339 for appointments.

As a condition of entry, you agree to have the picture of your child, their age, your residential street and village/town published in Cumbrian Newspapers Ltd products.