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'Cheeky seal' wins river photo competition

Oliver Crockett A seal is pictured reclining on an orange buoy and looking up at the camera. The buoy is on a river. The bank with reeds and hills in the far distance can be seen in the background. Oliver Crockett
Oliver Crockett won the seal of approval from Lord Montagu of Beaulieu for this snap

A picture of a seal reclining on a buoy has won a photography competition run by the river's owners.

Oliver Crockett's photo of the seal in the Beaulieu River, that was described by judges as "cheeky", was chosen for the £200 prize by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, whose family are the private owners of the tidal waterway.

The competition is run every year with the winning image being featured on an information booklet about the river.

Runners-up included Robert Abbott's photo of a swan family in the mist, along with Jane Willoughby's atmospheric shot of the the river's skyline.

Robert Abbott Two adult swans are pictured facing each other on a misty grey water surface. Nine small fluffy cygnets are gathered close together near to the swan on the left.Robert Abbott
Robert Abbott's snap of a swan family on the Beaulieu River was a runner-up

The Beaulieu River, in the New Forest National Park, is a popular place for wildlife spotters.

In March 2024, a grey seal pup believed to be the first of its kind was born on the river.

Two months later, an oyster catcher bird nested on a tour boat and laid two eggs on the boat's canopy.

The photographs will be displayed at a free-to-attend exhibition to be held at Buckler's Hard Village on 15 February.

Jane Willoughby The banks of a river is illuminated by some wintery, low-light sunshine. A small cabin is visible on the bank and is bathed in orange light from the low sun. The cabin and a small jetty are reflected in the water and the moon is lightly visible in the top right hand corner.Jane Willoughby
Jane Willoughby's shot of an atmospheric skyline on the banks of the River Beaulieu was another runner-up

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