Young Yorkshire photographers scoop national awards

Hope Skidmore said she wanted to give shield bugs a share of the limelight

Six young photographers from Yorkshire have scooped prizes in a national wildlife competition.

The group, aged between 12 and 18, picked up their accolades at the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards.

Among the winners was 13-year-old Hope Skidmore, from Rotherham, whose close-up of a shield bug was voted the best in the 12 to 15 mobile phones and devices category.

The overall winner was Ben Harrott's photo of a mountain hare.

Hope said: "These insects are so often overlooked, people preferring the garish ladybirds or fluttering butterflies, so it's high time someone gave the shield bug the limelight.

"I just had to capture this insect whose unique patterns are enhanced by the glistening water droplets and bright green leaf."

Lily Logan submitted a photo of her cat Angus

Lily Logan, 12, from Beverley, was a runner-up in the same category as Hope with a picture of her cat Angus.

Elsewhere, in the 'Small World' category 18-year-old Joshua Garbutt, from Leeds, was named runner-up for his photo of a horsefly.

"I have wanted to photograph a horsefly like this for a long time as I love the colour in their eyes and the detail that can be seen in their eyes.

"I spent almost an hour with this fly, taking hundreds of photos of it as I was happy with a set of images that I focused, stacked together, to get the fly fully in focus."

Joshua Garbutt spent nearly an hour trying to capture this photo of a horsefly

Hugo Napier, 10, from York, was a runner up in the under 12's mobile phones and devices category with his image of a squirrel being hand-fed

Oliver Butcher, from Sheffield, finished as a runner-up in the 12 to 15 year-old category with his photo of two avocets taken in Majorca.

The 14-year-old said: "Everywhere I looked there were birds exhibiting courtship behaviour.

"The avocets stood out because they didn't appear to have got the 'procreate' email!

"I observed them for about 15 minutes. The male was frenetically preening himself while the female appeared to be totally uninterested sweeping the water with her long, black curved beak, seemingly more interested in breakfast than what her male was doing."

Oliver Butcher captured a pair of courting avocets in Majorca

Isabella Stevens, 10, from Harrogate, was commended for her photo, entitled Magnificent moon jellyfish

RSCPA judge and BBC presenter Chris Packham said of the 4,000-plus entries: "Every year I am impressed by the level and skill in the photographs that are submitted.

"I hope everyone who entered continues with their love of animals and photography and they should all be proud of their achievements."