Cornwall photographer catches 'once in a lifetime' kestrel picture

Andy Maher said the photograph was a "very rare" shot.

A self-taught photographer has come face-to-face with a kestrel swooping towards him in Cornwall.

Andy Maher, from Hayle, told BBC Radio Cornwall he was out taking photos of birds in flight when he saw the kestrel hovering above him.

He said the bird then dived towards him and swooped away at the last second.

Mr Maher took a burst of photographs of the action and when he looked at them later he was "quite blown away by what I'd taken".

He said the photograph was a "very rare" shot and he was lucky the camera had been on the right settings.

Mr Maher said: "You can get a bird in flight which isn't always difficult... but to get an action shot, it can be very rare, particularly a shot like that where a bird is coming right at you.

"It's just a once in a lifetime image."