The British Professional Photography Awards evening at the Coventry Hilton was a fabulous event. Well organised and thoroughly enjoyable, the evening was a memorable one and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone present.

My Abstract Gull image was awarded a Certificate of Excellence in the Art of Science category which I was delighted to hear as it is one of my personal favourites and the competition was very tough.

The biggest surprise however, was hearing my name being read out as the category winner for UK Photographer of the Year in the Pictorial/Illustrative category with another gull image which received an amazing reception and some great comments. I was awarded a bronze statue of a photographer and given a beautiful etched glass paperweight as well as another certificate. Stunned, I spent the rest of the evening in a daze and barely remember going up to the stage and being given the award by Tom O'Connor and the MPA's Colin Buck. The image which won me this award was Gull in Flight, another favourite and the same image which was selected for Living Exposure earlier this year. It was taken locally in Cuerden Valley Park Nature Reserve.

I really am grateful to both Ray Lowe and Eric Jenkins for having faith in me and persuading me to enter.

This news is now featured in an article on the BBC website. Fame at last!