Another photographer from the Isle of Wight in the news this week is 14-year-old Freya Williams of Newport. 

The results are in for the prestigious RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2008 (YPA) and this stunning photo by Freya, of her inquisitive cat Tilly (pictured) was chosen by the judges as the winner of the Pet Personalities prize.

The teenager, from Newport, was praised for her use of props and composition for the image which captures Tilly peeking through the pages of a book.

Freya, follows in the footsteps of another Island photographic winner Teah Higgs, from Cowes,  who was crowned overall winner of the RSPCA YPA competition in 2006.

A striking image of a long-tailed tit taken by 11-year-old Molly Armiger, was chosen as the overall winner of the RSPCA YPA.

Molly Armiger’s photograph of the cheeky garden bird peering through her window wowed the judges who handed the Suffolk schoolgirl the top accolade at today’s exclusive awards ceremony at HM Tower of London.

New Countryfile host and former Blue Peter presenter Matt Baker announced the winners of the renowned competition, which is sponsored by Olympus and Warners Midlands.

He said:

“Without a doubt these are very prestigious awards. There are thousands of entries in this competition and everyone wants to win this one.”

Molly, from Cavendish, Suffolk, saw her photograph chosen ahead of the thousands of other entries in this year’s awards.

She said she was thrilled to have won the top prize with a photograph of the long-tailed tit which had built a nest in her garden hedge.

RSPCA chief photographer and YPA judge Andrew Forsyth said:

“Molly’s spontaneous snapshot packs a powerful punch, beating off some serious competition to be the overall winner.

Molly was presented with the YPA trophy and some top Olympus camera equipment, which she will be able to put to the test on an exclusive photoshoot with the RSPCA.

Also celebrating at the awards was six-year-old Evan Shelton, of Melton Mowbray, who become one of the competition’s youngest ever prize winners. He was crowned the under 12 winner for his photo of a common blue butterfly roost.

Matthew Burrard-Lucas, 19, of Sevenoaks, Kent, took first place in the 12-18 category with a striking image of a fox. It was the second year in a row that Matthew has enjoyed success at YPA after he won the Portfolio Prize in 2007.

Taking this year’s Olympus Portfolio Prize was Curtis Fowler, of Barry, South Glamorgan, who dazzled the judges with his selection of images taken during a visit to Drusillas Park, in East Sussex. His portfolio of five photographs includes great shots of an otter, meerkat, lemur, monkey and flamingo.

It is a remarkable achievement for former junior international badminton star, who took up photography after he was forced to give up the sport because of injury.