A CITY teenager has scooped the top prize in the prestigious RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2018.

Freddy Jones, from Worcester, was named winner in the 12-15 Years category for his eye-catching image entitled ‘Grass snake pond dipping’.

The 14-year-old’s photo was singled out from more than 4,700 entries into the competition this year.

“I was walking down the garden to photograph sparrowhawks when something caught my eye.

“I saw a head pop up and thought it was a frog, but I crept in close to the pond and saw it was a grass snake.

“It saw me, so I waited patiently nearby and as soon as its head appeared I took the shot.”

Youngsters aged up to 18, were invited to capture the animal kingdom on camera or on a mobile device for the competition.

Attracting entries from under 19s across England and Wales, this year’s awards were blind-judged by a panel of experts in wildlife photography.

Judges included representatives from sponsors Wex Photo Video, Warners Midlands Plc and Natures Images and led by BBC Springwatch presenter and RSPCA vice president Chris Packham.

“I’ve been judging the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards since they started,” said Mr Packham.

“It’s exciting to see it move with the times, particularly with a new category this year showing the human impact on animals and the welcome return of a pets category.

“We’re also pleased that the Mobile Phone and Devices category continues, because as no separate camera is required, this has really opened up the competition to almost anyone.”

The winning images across nine categories, including three different age groups, were announced during an awards ceremony hosted by Mr Packham at the Tower of London on December 19.

Mr Packham added: “It’s nice to see so many creative photos of people’s pets and a range of wildlife in such a strong competition.

“It needs real imagination to make commonplace species interesting, showing that the photographer has been really innovative.

“The fantastic images we have seen this year range from creatures in the desert and pets at play to animals just getting on with their life in the wild.

“The competition is a great way for young people to go out and experience the environment around them.

“There are some beautiful pictures in this year’s winners’ gallery, with real talent shining through.

“This year’s entrants have been really creative and that is what we wanted to see.”