We reveal the winners of our photography competition sponsored by Wilkinson Cameras

Great British Life: This shot of the moon rising behind Darwen Tower won second prize in the 2018 Lancashire Life readers' photography competitionThis shot of the moon rising behind Darwen Tower won second prize in the 2018 Lancashire Life readers' photography competition (Image: Simon Anten)

This stunning shot of hares at Mawdesley has won our 2018 readers’ photography competition.

It was taken by Bernard Noblett from Chorley, who has won a Sony A6000 camera worth £499, provided by competition sponsors Wilkinson Cameras.

‘I knew when I took it that it was a bit of a one-off, but I didn’t expect it to win the competition,’ he said. ‘I’m shocked. And thrilled.’

‘I had gone there that morning to get a shot of the sun through the trees. I never expected to see the hares but I got there and sat down and had a look around. After a couple of minutes there were suddenly hares running around me. They tend to be shy and run off as soon as they see you but they were bouncing around all round me.

Great British Life: This shot of Blackpool at night won third prize in the 2018 Lancashire Life readers' photography competitionThis shot of Blackpool at night won third prize in the 2018 Lancashire Life readers' photography competition (Image: Ian Murray)

‘I fired off a lot of shots but this was my favourite, with three hares running across the gap between the trees.’

Bernard, who works as an accountant in Bury, has previously won the second prize in our competition. He started taking pictures after buying his first camera as an 18-year-old but says he’s only been taking photography seriously for the last seven or eight years.

‘I take a lot of pictures now,’ he said. ‘I tend to get up early at weekends and might spend three or four hours out with my camera. I often go out around Mawdesley, where this picture was taken. It’s just a few miles from my house and it’s such a flat landscape.

‘A few miles in the other direction I can be on the West Penning Moors. I don’t enter many competitions, but I always put them in to Lancashire Life.’

His winning shot breaks a four year run of images taken in the Lake District claiming the top prize.

Simon Anten’s picture of the moon rising behind Darwen Tower won the second prize of a £150 Wilkinson Cameras gift voucher, with Ian Murray taking the £75 gift voucher third prize for his shot of Blackpool at night.

All photographs added to our online gallery will be entered into next year’s competition. Click on the ‘Upload a Photo’ tab. You will be asked to register, which is free and also allows you to comment on articles and photographs on the site and to take advantage of special offers.

The camera champions

Wilkinson Cameras is an award-winning, independent photo retailer with 10 stores throughout the North West as well as an online store at wilkinson.co.uk, where you’ll find a list of shop locations and opening times.