A youngster from Barnes who captured a stunning image of a deer amid a snowstorm in Richmond Park has claimed a top photography award.

Joshua Cox was just seven when he took the picture last January using a camera he had received for Christmas.

And he has received a 'highly commended' recognition in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, which is organised by the Natural History Museum.

Joshua started using a toy camera as a toddler and progressed to a compact camera not long after taking the photo while in lockdown.

Credit: BBC.

It had just started to snow when the youngster and his father Julian Cox, who is also a professional wildlife photographer, arrived in the park.

They followed the deer at a safe distance when suddenly the snow intensified and one of the stags stopped. 'He almost looked as if he was having a snow shower,' said Joshua.

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Richmond Park is home to herds of red and fallow deer, which have been roaming freely since 1637. The grazing deer help to manage the landscape of the park.

Joshua, who was interviewed live on BBC TV, said: "We were in a blizzard and I saw some snow stags going into the woods and we followed them.

"We got quite close but were a good distance away. Luckily we were not disturbing them much."

His dad said: "Joshua has been interested in wildlife from a very young age, from three, and it's really about going on wildlife adventures together and sharing with him what beautiful nature we have here in the British isles. If that inspires him to take photographs that's great.

"Joshua only takes photographs when he wants to, when the inspiration takes him and usually when it does he ends up taking better pictures than his dad."

This year's competition attracted entries from photographers of all ages and experience levels from 93 countries. Each entry was judged anonymously on its creativity, originality, and technical excellence by an international panel of industry experts.

The winning images, including the prestigious Grand Title Award and Young Grand Title Award, will be announced on 11 October 2022 during an exclusive awards ceremony hosted by wildlife TV presenter and conservationist Chris Packham.

Details - www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy/ - #WPY58

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