Butterfly and eerie landscape take top contest spots

A photograph of an orange-tip butterfly and a group of gnarly trees have taken the top spots in an annual competition.

The South Downs National Park Authority (SDNP) said there were almost 500 entries submitted for this year's contest, marking the 15th anniversary of it becoming a national park.

Thomas Moore, from Slindon, in West Sussex, who won the wildlife category with his photo of the butterfly, said the photo was taken in his own back garden.

Richard Murray, from Waterlooville, in Hampshire, won in the landscape-based category with a misty photo of London plane trees near Midhurst, in West Sussex.

Moore said of the butterfly entry: "Every year we have lots of garlic mustard which we leave to grow and spread as it is a key food plant for the orange-tip caterpillar.

"When I'm really lucky, the butterfly will land just long enough for me to take a picture.

"I never tire of photographing butterflies!" he said.

Richard Murray, winner in the landscape-based main category of the competition with a misty photo of London Plane trees near Midhurst.

Finn Hopson, one of the judges, said: "I haven't seen anything like this before. It shows a different side to the South Downs National Park and is a fantastic image."

Murray said of his landscape shot: "This photograph captures a striking row of ancient London Plane trees that I pass most days on my way to work.

"Mist is rare at this location, and I'd waited patiently for the right conditions to appear."

The runner-up in the main category was "Beam Me Up", a dark and moody photograph by Ian Price, from Eastbourne, showing a shaft of light over Belle Tout lighthouse after a heavy downpour.

Runner-up in the wildlife category was a photograph of a young stonechat in the Cuckmere Valley by John Lauper from Pevensey Bay.

He said: "I was fortunate to see this young stonechat sitting on top of some brambles waiting for its parent to return and was lucky that it looked straight at me as I took the photo."

SDNP said all the winning, commended images and shortlisted entries would be put forward for a People's Choice award.

People can vote online and the poll closes at midnight on 31 January.

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