Shropshire wildlife photography winner annouced

Danny Beath, from Shrewsbury, has won the very first Wild Shropshire photography competition which was organised by professional photographer

in association with Shropshire Wildlife Trust.

Mr Beath's colourful image was taken at Blakemere Reach, near Ellesmere, and was named overall winner as well as winning the landscape category.

Other spectacular photos also won awards including a close up of a bright red-breasted bullfinch nestling in flowers, a hare peering through a farmer's crop and two butterflies embracing.

Mr Beath said: "I'm absolutely delighted to win. This picture is something I have been aiming to get for over 10 years and I finally managed to get the right conditions last year.

"I've captured the moment the sun rose over Blakemere and illuminated the mist drifting from the canal down onto the lake. "I think it's the most beautiful stretch of the Shropshire Union Canal and I'm thrilled with the final outcome."

The amateur photographer said it was an 'honour' to win Shropshire Wildlife Photographer of the year. He said: "I was very happy to win the landscape category but completely shocked to get the overall prize considering the quality of all the images."

The competition, which is sponsored by Canon, was launched by Mr Sisson, from Newport, a former winner at the British Wildlife Photography Awards and was the 2012 Outdoor Photographer of the year.

Audrey Price, from Much Wenlock, won the mammals category for her picture of a hare peering through a farmer's crop.

Mrs Price said: ""I've been watching hares in the same location for the past two years. I feel very privileged to have had such a close encounter."

John Fielding, from Shrewsbury, won the birds category for his picture of a bullfinch. Jason Curtis, from Kidderminster who won the macro category for a picture of two Silver-Studded Blue butterflies.