KIDLINGTON shop assistant Claire Howard has been crowned Oxfordshire's "hottest mum" - after being nominated by her own daughter.

Mother of three Miss Howard, who lives in Marlborough Avenue, Kidlington, was voted the hottest mum in the county after hundreds of mothers across the county were nominated for radio station Fox FM's poll.

Ten pictures were posted on the radio station's website and Miss Howard garnered the most votes to win a spa weekend.

Miss Howard, who works at Bicester Village, said she was "shocked and flattered" to find out she had won.

She said: "I had mixed feelings about winning, especially considering it was my daughter who nominated me.

"It was my next door neighbour that put the idea in to my head. I have no idea what makes me Oxford's hottest mum."

Her 15-year-old daughter Hayley, a pupil at The Marlborough School, Woodstock, put Miss Howard forward for the competition.

Miss Howard admitted voting for herself - but only once. She said: "A few of my friends and colleagues know and everyone has been really pleased and everybody is pretending to be my best friend because they all want to come with me to the prize.

"I would not have put myself forward for the competition but I did vote for myself because I presume everyone did."

The 31-year-old said all the other entries, none of whom she knew, looked "lovely" and added: "I didn't think I was going to win to be honest, so I would just say thank you to everyone who voted."

She said her daughter Hayley and sons Jack, 12, and Connor, seven, were pleased and proud she had won the competition.

Miss Howard's prize was a spa day for two at the Randolph Hotel spa, in Beaumont Street, Oxford.

Fox FM marketing manager Rachel Tyrrell said "The idea of Hot Mum Idol was to recognise all the gorgeous mums in the area and reward one winner with some much needed 'me' time which mums often miss out on.

"One of the most touching things about this competition is that most of the mums were entered by their children who wanted to remind them how beautiful they were."

The finalists

  • Amanda Druce - Bishops Orchard, East Hagbourne
  • Caroline Tjia - The Woodlands, Chesterton
  • Claire Howard - Marlborough Avenue, Kidlington
  • Heidi Ryan - Avon Crescent, Bicester
  • Helen Clarke - Broadway Close, Witney
  • Joanne Jennings - Red Lion Street, Cropredy
  • Rachel Saudan - Fir Tree Avenue, Wallingford
  • Rachel Topher
  • Ruby Norton - Lydalls Road, Didcot
  • Sandra Kent - Merlin Way, Bicester.