Corfe Castle photograph triumphs in national competition

A dramatic shot of Corfe Castle has scooped

first prize national landscape photography competition.

The winning image, taken by local

photographer Antony Spencer, shows the ruined castle on a frosty winter's

morning.

Mr Spencer, who has a gallery in Dorset's

West Bay, took home £10,000 in prize money after being named Landscape

Photographer of the Year.

The awards, which are now in their fourth

year, are held in association with Natural England and Network Rail.

Helen Phillips, Natural England's chief

executive, said: "The awards are a reminder of how valuable our landscapes

are and how important it is that we look after them."

Works referencing a bygone era also found

favour in the awards' other categories - the Young Landscape Photographer of

the Year prize went to 16-year-old Taliesin Coombes for his shot of a steam

train leaving Cardiff station.

More than 100 of the competition's best

images will be on display at the National Theatre from November 22, and a book

featuring a selection of the entries is due to be published on October 31.