The portrait took three months to complete in summer 2002 Enlarge image

Charlotte Harris, in her final year of a fine art degree at Leeds Metropolitan University, won the prestigious BP Portrait Award on Tuesday.

Harris won for her untitled oil portrait of 83-year-old Doris Davis, who lives in Kent.

It was "extraordinary and telling", according to National Portrait Gallery director Sandy Nairne.

Harris was named winner at a ceremony at the National Portrait Gallery, and won a commission of �3,000 to paint a portrait for the gallery's collection on top of the main prize.

Grandmother 'unsure'

Harris, who is studio assistant to Tom Wood, visiting professor of painting at Leeds University, took three months to complete the portrait last summer.

It will now go on show at the gallery as part of the award exhibition - despite the fact that she said her grandmother was "not so sure" about its being seen by the nation.

The shortlist had been made up of lesser-known names after a record 858 artists sent entries.

The �8,000 prize for second place went to Michael Gaskell, from St Helen's, Merseyside for his work Noura.

Exhibition

Third place, worth �4,000, was awarded to Edinburgh-based Graham Flack, who has declared: "Lucien Freud changed my life."

And in fourth, with �1,000, was Dean Marsh, whose entry, Man with Grey Scarf, was of one of his former colleagues.

The 51 best entries will go on show at the National Portrait Gallery in London on Thursday until 21 September.

Last year, the prize was won by Catherine Goodson, the director of an art studio set up by the Prince of Wales.