A PAISLEY animal lover admitted she was ‘in shock’ after being crowned the winner of The Gazette’s Pet Idol contest 2018.

We asked readers to send us photos of their much-loved pets for the annual competition, with a £300 cash prize up for grabs.

Pampered pooches, magnificent moggies, feathered friends and even scaly reptiles were among the creatures great and small who were in with a chance of winning the bumper prize.

But it was Betty Francis, of Mirin Drive, who was quids in as her dogs Roxi and Suzi won the hearts of Gazette readers, who spent several weeks voting for their favourite pet.

Betty said: “I’m really thankful to everyone who voted for me. I almost forgot I’d entered, so it was a really nice surprise to hear I had won.

“There were so many lovely pets in there and I wasn’t expecting to win at all.

“I think I will use the money to get them both groomed and perhaps use the rest to get a good haircut myself.

“Roxi and Suzi are wonderful dogs. Suzi wants to be the boss all the time, despite being the younger one, and Roxi has to stand her ground.

“It’s really nice for Roxi as she had a cancerous lump removed not so long ago.”

Roxi and Suzi, 11 and two respectively, saw off competition from more than 100 other pets.

The Gazette would now like to point readers in the direction of our next contest, Bonnie Babies 2018. We’re looking for the area’s cutest tot, with another £300 up for grabs.

If you have a wee one who is aged under five on October 20, we want to hear from you. Email your baby’s name and date of birth with a picture and your contact details to babies@the-gazette.co.uk.