Zsa Zsa Jeff Chiu / AP/Press Association Images Jeff Chiu / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images

A NINE-YEAR-OLD English bulldog was named the winner of the 2018 World’s Ugliest Dog contest.

Zsa Zsa won the title at the competition in San Francisco last night.

The dog’s owner Megan Brainard, from Minnesota, will receive $1,500 (about €1,300) for Zsa Zsa’s win.

Dogs in the annual competition flaunt their ‘imperfections’ while they and their handlers walk down a red carpet. The dogs are evaluated by a panel of judges.

The contestants included a blackhead-covered Chinese Crested-Dachshund mutt, a bulldog mix with excess wrinkly skin and a Pekingese named Wild Thang.

Wild Thang Jeff Chiu / AP/Press Association Images Jeff Chiu / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images

Last year’s winner was a 125-pound (57kg) Neapolitan Mastiff named Martha.

The contest is in its 30th year. It is usually held on a Friday night, but organisers moved the competition to Saturday in an effort to draw a bigger audience.