THIS haunting image looking across the floods to Rock Cottage was taken by Mat Smith, 16, from Pickering and earned him top place in the junior section of the Pickering Photo 2000 competition.

Mat is pictured right receiving his prize of Jessops vouchers worth £100 from the competition chairman Neil Hardman. He also won a year's membership in the Kirkbymoorside and District Camera Club.

Pickering Photo 2000 was a joint project with Kirkbymoorside and District Camera Club and the Pickering Photo 2000 committee. The project culminated in an exhibition in May in Pickering.

All photographs had to be taken in the year 2000 and Mat's photo was taken early in the morning with peak river levels. The committee thought this was the best junior photograph, because while it recorded the floods, it also showed an understanding of light conditions and the use of atmosphere to enhance the picture.

Updated: 11:12 Thursday, November 08, 2001