A TEN-year-old girl has beaten thousands of youngsters in a worldwide competition to find the next generation of photographers.

Hayley Bradley, of Escomb Road, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, is one of 40 winners chosen from 32,000 entrants across 170 countries to the United Nations Environmental Photography international photo competition.

Hayley, who submitted a picture of the rare manatees sea mammal while on a trip to Sea World in Florida last March, said: "I'm really excited, really chuffed because I didn't think I would win.

"I just saw these fascinating creatures that I had never seen before and just wanted to take photos of them. It wasn't for the competition. I found out about that afterwards and just decided to send them and see what happens."

Hayley, a pupil at St Anne's Church of England School, Bishop Auckland, entered the competition after encouragement from her father, John, and mother Liz.

Mr Bradley, an IT manager in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, said: "Out of 32,000 people I think that's pretty amazing. She only used a small Kodak camera, but the image came out really well."

Hayley received a commemorative book with all the winning photographs and a plaque from the UN.