South Downs: Midhurst Milky Way shot wins photo competition

Cowdray Cosmos by Richard Murray won top prize

A "hauntingly beautiful" photograph of the Milky Way above the ruins of a Tudor mansion has won top prize in the South Downs National Park astrophotography competition.

The image was taken by Richard Murray from Waterlooville, Hampshire, at Cowdray ruins in Midhurst, West Sussex.

Runner-up was a shot of the moon rising behind Beachy Head lighthouse, near Eastbourne taken by Andrew Parker.

A picture of a toad at Cuckmere Haven, East Sussex, won the nature category.

The competition celebrates the national park's status as one of only 20 International Dark Sky Reserves in the world, which recognises the region as one of the best places globally to stargaze.

South Downs lead ranger Dan Oakley said of the winning picture: "It's such a well-framed image and shows what the landscape would have been like a couple of centuries ago.

"It's a great little chocolate box photo of the South Downs."

Beachy Head Moonrise by Andrew Parker claimed second prize

Mr Murray, who won a £100 prize, said: "We were blessed with crystal clear skies and I was lucky enough to be able to capture this shot of the Milky Way rising behind the Cowdray ruins.

"The national park has such a wide variety of beautiful landscapes and buildings to photograph and is truly a special part of the UK, both by day and night."

Mr Parker, who lives in south east London, said: "Despite travelling around the country to pursue my hobby of landscape and astrophotography I still go to the South Downs more than most other places. The skies around Birling Gap are fantastic."

Toad in the Road, by Peter Brooks, highlights the dangers faced by amphibians

In the nature category the judges were wowed by the photography of the toad crossing the road in East Sussex, by Peter Brooks from Eastbourne.

Mr Oakley said: "I like this image because it's a bit different. It sums up the theme of 'nature at night' and really highlights the fragility of nature."

Mr Brooks said: "I took this particular image to highlight the dangers toads face when migrating back to their breeding ponds."

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