A PHOTOGRAPHIC society has snapped up first prize in an annual regional competition.

The Durham Photographic Society emerged clear winners when nine camera clubs from Sunderland and County Durham staged their annual photo competition for the Wear Area Trophy awarded to clubs in the Northern Counties Photographic Federations’s Wear Area.

The contest was judged by leading landscape photographer Dave Coates, of Northallerton, and also featured pictures from Washington, Stanhope, Consett, Sunderland, Castleside, Esh Winning, Chester-le-Street and Wear Valley photo clubs.

Durham had the top marked photograph, entitled Frozen Copse, which was taken by Neil Maughan and achieved 162 points to win the trophy outright.

Washington Camera Club,which hosted the competition, secured the second place with 154 points and Stanhope came third with a total of 153 points.

Durham’s entry also featured two natural history pictures, Red Deer in Snow and Mountain Hare in Snow, by Michael Watson which were also highly marked.

For more information about the society visit durhamps.co.uk