HE may only be five months old, but little Carson Lambert has already been crowned the Evening Times Tot 2014.

The youngster from Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, was just 12-weeks-old when his mum Tracy Hall decided he should enter the competition.

And today she is "proud as punch" after Carson came out on top ahead of hundreds of other babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers.

More than 40,000 votes were cast by post, online and by text by readers.

Tracy, 26, who has another son, nine-year-old Steven, said the family were "over the moon."

She said: "I saw the competition was happening on Facebook and I just thought we'd take him to get his pictures done at the St Enoch Centre when my mum and I were out shopping."

Housekeeper Tracy and her partner Edward Lambert, 26, had no idea their son would go on to win.

She said: "We just thought we'd use it to get his pictures done and buy the photos of him.

"But when he kept getting through to the next round we started taking it more seriously.

"We couldn't sleep on a Wednesday because we were so excited to buy the paper early on Thursday and find out if he'd got through."

When Tracy discovered Carson had won she could not hold back the tears. She said: "I just couldn't stop crying. I was speechless.

"I'm welling up now just thinking about it.

"It's been such an exciting few months, it's given us something to enjoy every week."

Young Carson has won £1000, a £250 Hamley's voucher, a £250 St Enoch Centre voucher and a Times Tots trophy and certificate.

Tracy said he will share his winnings with his big brother.

She said: "We'll take them to Hamleys and the St Enoch Centre and Steven can pick out some toys that he wants and we'll pick out toys for Carson."

Carson is joined in the Times Tots hall of fame by two-year-old Lola McDonnell in second place and 15-month-old Ava Kate Anderson, who took the third place.

rachel.loxton@ eveningtimes.co.uk