The results of the MAD Awards for the best UK parent bloggers have been announced at an awards ceremony in Butlins, Bognor Regis. We reviewed this place when it opened last year, but one thing has changed since then - there's now free WiFi. They must have known the bloggers were coming.

So what happened when the mum and dad bloggers hit Butlins?

They travelled from all over the UK - and even further in the case of Notes from Lapland (who won Most Innovative Blog, so was glad she came). Around 50 bloggers attended, and were joined by assorted sponsors, judges and meself.

We all enjoyed the disco lift, ably demonstrated here by Pippa from A Mother's Ramblings, and friends:





Isn't that fab? Pippa, who later won Best Family Fun Blog, could also easily have picked up Most Beautiful Dress and Person Having The Best Time, Fuelled Only By Dr Pepper, had they been awards. Maybe next year.

The event started with an afternoon coffee and cake reception. Everyone was presented with a huge pile of gifts that put the good into goody bag, including electronic gadgets from Philips, chocolate and Mega Bloks for all.

After that, bloggers were invited to try out the Ocean Hotel Spa, where they stormed the jacuzzi and snow cave.

The evening kicked off with a Pimm's reception, then on to the conference centre for a lovely three course meal.

Unsurprisingly, there was a fair amount of electronic gizmos on show, and many people Tweeted and Twitpic-ed their way throughout the evening. Of course, in any other circumstances, this would be incredibly ill-mannered behaviour. But somehow, in this instance, it worked, turning the awards into a two way event where people at home were almost as involved in proceedings as the people in the room. Around 350 people followed the live blog at Who's The Mummy.

Kelly from ParentDish was Mistress of Ceremonies, ably assisted by Redcoat Gary, who looked slightly scared of the assembled mummy bloggers (as well he should).

Man of the Night was undoubtedly Tim from Bringing Up Charlie, who won both Best Blog Writer and Best MAD Blog (and seen here accepting his award from David Moscardini of Butlins). Tim seemed genuinely touched and surprised to have won, and the collective feeling was that it couldn't have happened to a nicer blogger.

Deb from Carrots and Kids was moved to tears (see below) at winning Best Photography and I was delighted to present Best New Blog to Jo from Slummy Single Mummy

There was a quiz to see how well you know your mummy bloggers. After compiling the Mummy Bloggers' Friday Roundup for a year, I thought this would be easy as cheese. But it turned out I have retained nothing, and was no help at all to my team on Table 2. And yet somehow we managed to win - how did that happen?

After the awards, the party continued at the Shoreline Hotel bar, where the discovery of a packet of balloons led to some creative activity (see below).

Also some bloggers took the blue lights from the tables and stuffed them down their bras. Children, if you are wondering what mummy gets up to when you're asleep, the answer is Mischief.

Mucho screeching couldn't rouse any karaoke, so bloggers had to make do with a disco in a bowling alley, and drinks in tubes. I have no idea what the drinks in tubes actually were, but I suspect it wasn't apple juice due to the widespread head rubbing and groaning at breakfast: "Oh no, why did I have that drink in a tube..."

As if that wasn't enough, some carried the party back to their rooms until the wee small hours, or when ever their children woke them up.

Over the breakfast buffet, several bloggers tried to work out who had sent the most embarrassing tweet of the night. Did I really say that at 2am? At least hangovers go eventually, but tweets are forever.

Congratulations to all who participated in The MAD Awards, whether you came to Butlins or were following the action from home. It was a great celebration of a wonderful community. Now, can we persuade Sally to do it all again next year?

Thanks to Me, The Man and The Baby and Hayley from Singlemummy.net for pics

What's your best memory of The MAD Awards? Leave a comment below