THREE of the region’s Wildlife Trusts have teamed up with the Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN) and the Great North Museum to launch the 2015 North East Wildlife Photography Competition.

The competition, which is also organised by Alan Hewitt Photography, saw more than 1,200 entries last year.

For the third year running, Nestlé which has worked with Northumberland Wildlife Trust on the planting of butterfly meadows at its factory in Fawdon Newcastle is the main sponsor, with Simon King Wildlife and Opticron already coming forward with a selection of prizes.

There are six competition categories, with each category winner and runners-up receiving a prize and an overall winner being selected from one of them for the main prize of £250.

In addition there are two new categories - mobile nature - photos of wildlife and plants taken with a mobile phone or tablet and Nature up close - photos of plants, insects and other wildlife that are taken close up as the name suggests.

These are in addition to the existing categories of young person’s, wildlife portraits, wildlife in action and wildlife in the landscape.

Entry is free and open to everyone, but photographs must have been taken in the North-East.

The closing date for entries is midnight Thursday, May 9 2015. The winners will be announced at an award ceremony on July 7, 2015 at the Great North Museum: Hancock in Newcastle with winning photos displayed in the museum before going on tour around the region.

For details of how to submit your entry, online or by post, plus full terms and conditions visit www.northeastwildlifephoto.co.uk or contact Steve Ashton on 01287-636382.