BMS lecturer snaps up photographic triumph

A scenic, snowy farm snap taken by a University of Sheffield lecturer has beaten off stiff competition from over 65,000 entries to feature in a television programme's 2011 charity calendar.

Dr Pen Rashbass, from the Universitys Department of Biomedical Science, was last night (10 October 2010) named the overall winner of the BBC Countryfile Photographic Competition, thanks to her photograph of a flock of sheep snaking along a tunnel of snow.

Her winning shot, which was taken by Pen as she helped out on a hill farm in Scotland during the harsh weather last winter, will now appear in the BBC Countryfile calendar sold in aid of Children in Need.

The 65,000 entries - which were over double last year's number of entries - were whittled down to 3,000 by previous winners and runners up, before judges John Craven, Chris Packham and Jo Brand chose the final 12 which they thought best embodied this year's theme of 'A Moment of Magic.'

Viewers of the programme were then given a week to phone in and vote for their overall favourite snap, and from the many thousands of votes, Pen won with her image entitled "Going Home" . She will receive £1000 of photographic equipment as her prize.

Dr Rashbass, who specialises in Developmental Genetics at the University, considers herself to be a 'very amateur photographer,' and has a particular interest in photographing sheep dogs and sheep after she trained in sheepdog handling three years ago.

The win was a first for the budding photographer who had never before entered a photographic competition.

Dr Pen Rashbass, said: "When I was initially contacted by Countryfile to be told I was a finalist, I thought it was a hoax. The other finalists' photos were of such high quality that I was completely astounded when I was told my snap had won overall. Personally, I considered the story behind the picture to be a 'magical moment' as it was taken when myself and a friend were rescuing stock in very harsh conditions, but I only submitted it to the competition after encouragement from friends.

"I'm really thrilled that an image of a few sheep taken by a complete amateur is considered good enough to be used in such a popular calendar."