In pictures: Britain’s very best wildlife images

The stunning overall winner of the competition, an aerial shot of seabirds against an inky black sea. Picture: PAThe stunning overall winner of the competition, an aerial shot of seabirds against an inky black sea. Picture: PA
The stunning overall winner of the competition, an aerial shot of seabirds against an inky black sea. Picture: PA
A STRIKING image of seabirds nesting on cliffs and flying over an inky-black sea has scooped the top prize in the British Wildlife Photography Awards.

Barrie Williams, from Lossiemouth, Moray, beat thousands of entries to win the overall prize of £5,000 with a photograph of gannets in the Shetland Isles, described as “beautiful and evocative” by the judges.

Extraordinary close-ups of fairy moss and a tiny mite walking over a frog’s head, pictures of sunlight streaming through woods, a common lizard on a tree and a gang of starlings looking menacing in a London car park were among the winning photographs.

Prizes were awarded in 16 categories, including for a documentary series of pictures won with photos about dealing with toads on roads in the North York Moors National Park.

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